REGINA, Sask. — Saskatchewan’s accident rate is higher than any other province in the country, according to the 2003 Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics report.

The province had the highest rate per capita for fatal collisions in Canada last year. Saskatchewan recorded a fatality rate of 14.9 per 100,000 people, which was substantially higher than the national average of 8.8

Across Canada, fatalities and injuries decreased compared to 2002, but in Saskatchewan deaths increased from 13.5 per 100,000 last year. Saskatchewan Government Insurance’s manager of traffic safety program evaluation, Kwei Quaye, told local media things are looking better so far in 2004.

“Based on preliminary numbers that we have as of August 2004, we are at 73 fatalities as compared to 97 fatalities during the same time in 2003,” Quaye told local media.

He attributed the province’s high accident rate to the fact many residents live in rural areas and do a lot of highway driving to larger cities.