Truck crashes down 73% in Ontario thanks to speed limiters: MTO study

by Truck News

TORONTO, Ont. — Speed-related, at-fault collisions involving large commercial vehicles dropped by an impressive 73% after mandatory speed limiter legislation took effect in Ontario, according to a recent study by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

The drop in truck collisions was significantly greater than the decrease found in other vehicle drivers (30%), the report also concluded.

Despite skeptics’ insistence before the rule took effect that slowing down large trucks would inadvertently lead to more collisions with passenger cars and other vehicles, the study concluded there is absolutely no evidence speed limiters have contributed to an increase in truck drivers involved in other types of collisions post-2009, including rear-end crashes.

The study also dispelled the myth that in a speed limiter environment, drivers adjust their driving behavior to compensate for any perceived time lost as a result of driving slower.

The year-long study conducted between 2014-2015 examined data from pre- (2006-2008) and post- (2010-2012) speed limiter legislation by using fatal, injury, and police reported property damage collisions on high-speed highways. It also looked at MTO enforcement officers’ large vehicle driver speed data, among other real-world data.

The study also found that:

a. Drivers of large trucks produced fewer at-fault speed collisions relative to all at-fault driver actions, post 2009;
b. No evidence to indicate worse collision outcomes for large truck drivers post 2009;
c. The percentage of truck drivers struck in the rear (of all collisions), stayed the same from pre- to post legislation (10.03 % of total collisions 2006-2008 and 10.47% 2010-2012) while the rate increased for other drivers (18.6% 2006-2008; and 21.3% 2010-2012).
 


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  • Wow! If it works that great for trucks, just think of the number of collisions that could be avoided if we limited the cars to 105 kph. Of course that wouldn’t get Wynne votes so she’ll never do it.

  • If they can limit the speed of large trucks through legislation, why can’t speed limiters be put onto the 4 wheelers and motorcycles through legislation too? Some of those things whip by so fast that they are gone in seconds.

    The only exempt vehicles would be police and emergency vehicles. If the rest had speed limiters, high speed police chases would be a thing of the past and the “crotch rockets” would be slowed down. Really high speed collisions and street racing would also be gone and maybe lives saved. What would be the point of racing someone on the expressways when they can only go as fast as you?

    The only people nailed for going 50 over the limit as stunt driving would be on slower rated roads and not expressways where it is dangerous enough already.

  • If the study is true wgat would happen ik speed limiters were put on all highway users? (oops!! that would affect theMPPs)

  • You can make statistics show any outcome you want. Was it Disraeli who said, ‘there are lies, damn lies and statistics’? Another crock of shyte from the Lyin Liberals.

  • I’m surprised by the comments posted. I think it is common sense that the lower the speed, the lower the risk of accident. Of course, there are pros and cons for everything. If we completely ban alcohol in Canada, accidents caused by drink and drive will drop significantly, but the wine industry will die and beer lovers will cry foul. If we completely ban vehicles, then car collision rate will go down to zero, but the economy will be paralyzed .

    • Actually, I shouldn’t be surprised. Truck drivers are the group negatively impacted by the mandatory speed limiter legislation. It is just like workers in Kodak film factory won’t appreciate the digital camera technology.

  • Talk about propoganda. What percentage of accidents were speed related by the truck in the first place? And what is the reduction in numbers.
    Come on TruckNews you need to do better. Instead of copy and paste of a news release from the gov’t, how about putting forth a little effort and getting the numbers to show the reality. Pretty disappointing for a ‘trade paper’. But then again, this report supports the OTA position

  • Why are we denying this proven life saving technology to the general public? I wonder how many four wheelers lives could be saved if they were limited as well. Wait until the lawyers get a hold of this.

  • This is unscientific because it’s not objective. It’s like the cigarette industry doing a study on the health effects of smoking. This agency wanted speed limiters without studies and justification. After the fact they do a “study” to justify their fascist style of government. Just because something is called a study doesn’t mean it has any validity whatsoever.

  • Hell I know let’s all drive 35.That will save Millions of lives. Not to mention putting Guardrails all around every vehicle.

  • Common sense is seldom common. Lower speeds do not reduce collision rates. Higher speeds do not increase collision rates. Higher speed only affect the outcome. Collision rates are affected by untrained, poorly trained or distracted drivers. Two out of three is usually the case. You know which two…

  • Who the hell is using a speed limiter in the province of Ontario? It certainly isn’t any of the trucks travelling on the 401 between Windsor Montreal.
    And how about all these new adaptive cruise and anti-crash systems on all these new trucks. What part do they play in the reduction of accidents in Ontario?
    I believe what the information the MTO is putting out there is called “fake news”.
    Let’s just remember one thing. The MTO has not won a speed limiter case that has gone to court yet! And that my friends is “real news”!!