Camrose Police Service breaks down 2022 traffic statistics

By Lori Larsen

Upon review of the 2022 traffic statistics, Camrose Police Service (CPS) Inspector John Corbett reported a 5.7 per cent increase in the total number of reportable collisions from 2021 to 2022, with the total number of collisions in 2022, 4.9 per cent below the five year average.

The five year overview of collisions in Camrose reported 450 in 2018, 595 in 2019, 424 in 2020, 421 in 2021 and 445 in 2022 with one fatality overall, which occurred in 2019.

The number of injury reported collisions has decreased 21 per cent from 2021 to 2022, with 24 reported in 2021 and 19 in 2022. Over the five year period of 2018 to 2022, the number of injury collisions was 22 per cent below the five-year average.

“Despite the impact of the pandemic on traffic patterns in 2020 and 2021, collision trends have remained fairly stable in 2022,” noted Corbett.

The report further broke down the demographics of collisions in Camrose.

The types of collisions in 2022 consisted of: six pedestrian collisions; one bicycle collision; one motorcycle collision; 75 hit and run collisions (which includes collisions with other property or vehicles); and 177 intersection collisions.

The ages and genders of people involved in collisions were as follows:

Male: 14-17 (25); 18-20 (15); 21-30 (39); 31-40 (50),; 41-50 (35); 51-60 (39); 61-70 (44); 71-80 (27) and 81 and over (22).

Female: 14-17 (11); 1820 (20); 21-30 (29); 31-40 (45); 41-50 (37); 51-60 (36); 61-70 (26); 71-80 (29) and 80 and over (20).

“Most collisions involved drivers aged 31-40,” said Corbett.

As noted most collisions continue to occur during the winter months, with 35 of the collisions occurring in January, 36 in February, 29 in March, 63 in November and 69 in December.

Corbett said that the increase in collisions in November and December were most likely the result of significant winter weather conditions.

Fridays experience the most collisions with a total of 91, and historically, that was the case. The second day of the week for highest number of collisions was Thursday with 72, the day of the week experiencing the lowest number of collisions was Sunday, with 46, which was also historically the case.

The greatest number of collisions occurred between 11 a.m. (35) and 6 p.m. (34) with the highest amount at 2 p.m. (40).

Corbett reported that the three main causes of collisions were; backing up unsafely, following too close and running off the road.

Other causes of collisions included: stop sign violations; fail to yield right of way uncontrolled intersection; fail to yield right of way to pedestrian; left turn across path; improper lane change; disobey traffic signal; improper turn; improper passing and crossing without right of way.

Corbett said that road and weather conditions also played a significant role in the number of collisions with the following road conditions contributing: slush/snow and ice (194); loose surface material (one); wet/muddy (12); other road conditions (30); and weather conditions that contributed: rain (eight) and snowing (42).

“Road conditions were a factor in 53 per cent of the collisions and weather played a factor in 11 per cent of the collisions,” said Corbett. “But snow is the most common contributing factor present in collisions.”

With regard to where collisions occurred in Camrose in 2022 the intersection of 48 Avenue and 68 Street experienced the highest with 18, notably no injuries; the intersection of 48 Avenue and 66 Street with 13 collision and two injuries. While 54 Avenue and 53 Street only experienced four collisions, three of those involved injury.

Other high collision intersections were 48 Avenue and 50 Street (nine); 48 Avenue and Grand Drive (nine); 48 Avenue and 53 Street (six); 48 Avenue and 73 Street (six with one injury).

“The 48 Avenue and 68 Street intersection continue to be the top intersection for collisions in Camrose,” noted Corbett. “However, this was the first year in the past five years that there were no injury collisions at this intersection.”