Road Safety Data

All Ontario motor vehicle drivers and passengers are required to wear a seat belt. Proper use of seat belts reduces the risk of death and serious injury in a collision.

Table 5.  Seat belt use in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa, 2013-14 and 2017

Indicator Measure Ottawa Data Ontario-less-Ottawa Data Data Source

Youth

 % of students in Grades 7 to 12 who always wear a seat belt when in a vehicle 71% 75% 2017 OSDUHS
Adult Drivers % of drivers aged 16 years or older who always wear a seatbelt 98% 96% 2013-14 CCHS
Passengers % of passengers aged 12 years or older who always wear a seatbelt 79% 82% 2013-14 CCHS
Taxi Passengers % of taxi passengers aged 12 years or older who always wear a seatbelt 57% 61% 2013-14 CCHS

Data Sources and Notes for Table 5

Ottawa Public Health. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario – Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) (2017), Centre for Addiction & Mental Health.

  • The 2017 data used in this section are from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and administered by the Institute for Social Research, York University. Its contents and interpretation are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
  • The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) is the longest ongoing biennial school survey in Canada, and the only province-wide survey of this population. The 2017 statistics are based on a random representative sample of over 1,400 Ottawa students enrolled in any of the four publicly funded school boards in Grades 7 through 12.

Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2013/14. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada

  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada.

Alcohol, cannabis, over-the-counter and prescription medications, and other drugs can affect reaction time, judgement, coordination, and motor skills. These substances can impair driving and increase the risk of collision and injury.

Table 6.  Impaired driving behaviours in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa, 2013-14 and 2017

Indicator Measure Ottawa Data Ontario-less-Ottawa Data Data Source
Youth Passenger Drinking and Driving % of students in Grades 7 to 12 who were passengers in a car (at least once in past year) driven by someone who had been drinking 16% 16% 2017 OSDUHS
Youth Passenger Drugs and Driving

% of students in Grades 7 to 12 who were passengers in a car (at least once in past year) driven by someone who had been using drugs other than alcohol

11%

10%

2017 OSDUHS

Youth Driver Cannabis Use

% of high school student drivers who drove within an hour of using cannabis

15%*

10%

2017 OSDUHS

Adult Drinking and Driving

% of drivers aged 16 years or older who had 2 or more drinks in the hour before driving (at least once in the past year)

4%*

4%

2013-14 CCHS

Data Sources and Notes for Table 6

Ottawa Public Health. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario – Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) (2017), Centre for Addiction & Mental Health.

  • The 2017 data used in this section are from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and administered by the Institute for Social Research, York University. Its contents and interpretation are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
  • The Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) is the longest ongoing biennial school survey in Canada, and the only province-wide survey of this population. The 2017 statistics are based on a random representative sample of over 1,400 Ottawa students enrolled in any of the four publicly funded school boards in grades 7 through 12.

Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2013/14. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada

  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada

*Interpret with caution – high sampling variability

 

Distracted driving (e.g., texting or using a cell phone, eating or drinking, tending to a child or pet, searching for music) increases the risk of collision, injury, and death.

Table 7. Distracted driving behaviours in Ottawa and Ontario-less-Ottawa, 2013-14 and 2017

Indicator

Measure

Ottawa Data

Ontario-less-Ottawa Data

Data Source

Youth Texting

% high school student drivers who did not send or read a text message/email while driving in the past year

71%

65%

2017 OSDUHS

Adult Cell Phone Use

% of drivers aged 16 years or older who never used a cell phone (excluding hands free) when driving

71%

74%

2013-14 CCHS

Adult Hands Free Cell Phone Use

% of drivers aged 16 years or older who use hands-free cell phone often or sometimes while driving

31%

30%

2013-14 CCHS

Data Sources and Notes for Table 7

Ottawa Public Health. Public Health Monitoring of Risk Factors in Ontario – Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) (2017), Centre for Addiction & Mental Health.

  • The 2017 data used in this section are from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and administered by the Institute for Social Research, York University. Its contents and interpretation are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
  • The OSDUHS is the longest ongoing biennial school survey in Canada, and the only province-wide survey of this population. The 2017 statistics are based on a random representative sample of over 1,400 Ottawa students enrolled in any of the four publicly funded school boards in grades 7 through 12.

Ottawa Public Health. Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2013/14. Ontario Share File. Statistics Canada

  • The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) is an annual national population health survey conducted by Statistics Canada

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