By the numbers: 10 pedestrian deaths this year by Ottawa drivers highlights growing problem

Canuck November 25, 2023

Another vehicle strike on a person in Vanier on Thursday evening is the latest in a string of pedestrian-involved collisions in the city.

According to the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), 10 of these collisions this year have been fatal, including four since Oct. 2.

Since the start of 2023, CTVNewsOttawa.ca has reported on 23 vehicle collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists by drivers in Ottawa and one in Gatineau.

Most of these collisions involved people suffering from serious, critical and fatal injuries.

Thursday’s strike marks the fifth person to be hit by a vehicle in the city this month.

According to data by the city of Ottawa, there were 26 fatal collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists between 2017 and 2020.

The number of fatalities involving pedestrians and cyclists as of Nov. 24 of this year has already surpassed the number for the years 2017 (4), 2018 (6) and 2020 (4).

There were nine pedestrians and three cyclists killed by vehicles in 2019.

This does not include a number of close calls – including a deaf and blind man who was nearly hit when crossing the road this month.

The city recently released its annual report on its Strategic Road Safety Action Plan. Its goal is a 20 per cent reduction in fatal and major injury collisions by next year and a net-zero goal by 2035.

Automated speed enforcement cameras have been installed at 28 locations with another 12 expected by the end of the year.

But many advocates and community groups continue to express concern over the recent rash of collisions and are asking drivers to be more mindful of their surroundings.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca has confirmed eight of the 10 fatalities reported by OPS in Ottawa and one in Gatineau.

Here is a list of pedestrian-involved collisions reported by CTVNewsOttawa.ca this year as of Nov. 24:

Jan 4 – Greenbank Road and Banner Road. Person suffered serious injuries.
Jan. 19 – Southwood Drive. Fatal.
Feb. 13 – Tenth-Line Road. Person suffered serious injuries.
Feb. 18 – Galetta Side Road. Fatal.
April 12 – Manotick intersection. One person suffered serious injuries, one fatal.
April 14 – Corkstown Road and Moodie Drive. Cyclist suffered serious injuries.
April 15 – Loggers Way and John Shaw Road. Person suffered critical injuries.
April 15 – Richmond Road and Kirkwood Avenue. Cyclist suffered serious injuries.
April 29 – King Edward Avenue. Person suffered critical injuries.
May 14 – Innes Road and Blackburn Hamlet. Person suffered critical injuries.
June 17 – Centretowne. Cyclist suffered life threatening injuries.
July 20 – Tremblay at St. Laurent (OC Transpo bus). Fatal.
July 27 – Bank Street and Lisgar Street. Person suffered critical injuries.
Aug. 13 – Farmers Way. Fatal.
Aug. 15 – Greenbelt. Teen suffered critical injuries.
Oct. 2 – Preston Street at St. Anthony Street. Fatal.
Oct. 2 – Sandy Hill driver hit two people. One fatal.
Oct . 15 – Merivale Road and Viewmount Drive. Teen suffered serious injuries.
Oct. 27 – Gatineau pedestrian. Fatal.
Nov. 2 – 1900-block St. Joseph Blvd, Orleans. Fatal.
Nov. 6 – Walkley Road between Heron and Heatherington. Fatal.
Nov 11 – Rideau Street. Person suffered serious injuries.
Nov. 21 – Hunt Club. Person suffered serious injuries.
Nov. 23 – Montreal Road. Person suffered critical injuries.