Highway Speed Limit Increase Enters Final Stage
Highway Speed Limit Increase Enters Final Stage
By: Gluckstein Lawyers
This summer, the speed limit on sections of Highways 401 and 416 in eastern Ontario was increased to 110 km/h, followed by sections on other highways, including the QEW and Highways 400, 401, 402, 403, 416 and 417. By the end of September 2026, nearly 89 per cent of Ontario’s highway network will have a posted speed limit of 110 km/hour.
Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MOT) notes that this province’s roads have ranked among the safest in North America for the past 25 years, with one of the lowest fatality rates per 10,000 licensed drivers.
Opinions Are Split.
The government says those who responded to an online survey before the rollout were overwhelmingly in favour of change.
Some believed the government didn’t go far enough. Stop100.ca founder Chris Klimek, stated speed limits should be increased to 120 km/h on all metropolitan 400-series highways (with the exception of hazardous stretches, such as sharp turns) and 130 km/h on all 400-series highways outside metropolitan areas.
“We have state-of-the-art highways. It’s a travesty we’re not letting people use the highways the way they have been intended to be used,” he told the Ottawa Citizen. “Engineers designed these highways to be perfectly safe to drive at 120.”
However, some safety advocates have concerns.
Most people believe that they can drive at faster speed limits with no problems. But when you increase your speed, you are putting yourself at an elevated risk of collision. There is a famous study from the University of British Columbia in 2016 that assessed B.C.’s decision to increase the speed limit on some highways. The study showed an 11 per cent increase in fatal collisions after increasing the speed limit, after controlling for all variables.
Speeding Has Consequences.
According to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.16 million people die each year as a result of a road traffic crashes, and 20 to 50 million suffer non-fatal injuries, with many incurring a disability.
WHO states that an increase in “average speed is directly related both to the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of the consequences of the crash.”
“For example, every one per cent increase in mean speed produces a four per cent increase in the fatal crash risk and a three per cent increase in the serious crash risk,” the report noted. “In car-to-car side impacts, the fatality risk for car occupants is 85 per cent at 65 km/h.”
The United States’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that driving at excessive speeds can result in:
- Greater potential for loss of vehicle control.
- Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment.
- Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger.
- Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries.
- Economic implications of a speed-related crash.
Safety advocates also note there are drivers who routinely push the envelope when it comes to posted speed limits.
“The risk of fatality or serious injury is 11 times higher in collisions at 50 kilometres per hour or more over a speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour, than when vehicles are involved in a collision while driving at, or below, the posted limit.
We Can Help.
A collision at any speed can result in devastating and long-lasting injuries or even death. Whether you are a driver or passenger involved in a crash, or a pedestrian or cyclist struck by a vehicle, it is in your best interest to seek advice from experienced legal professionals.