More Calgarians died in traffic collisions in 2024 than in any time in the previous decade, according to new statistics released by the Calgary Police Service.
Police responded to 29 fatal collisions in 2024, with 13 of those involving the deaths of pedestrians. Overall, the service conducted 85 serious-injury and fatal collision investigations, which CPS said was the highest number they’ve had since 2007.
The majority of those fatal collisions occurred in the final quarter of 2024.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and everyone else who travels on Calgary roads must keep safety at the forefront of their minds all of the time,” said Inspector Paul Wozney with the Calgary Police Service Traffic Section, in a prepared media release.
“We know that as police, we have a role to play, too, when it comes to enforcing laws around road use, and we remain committed to working with our partners at The City, and others, when it comes to actioning the Safer Mobility Plan. We all have a right to make it home safe every single day.”
According to CPS’ statistics, October and December reached record highs for investigations.
October 2024 saw a 167 per cent increase in the number of investigations over the average October trend, while December saw a 110 per cent increase over the average December trend.
Although CPS said that there is no one cause for the number of increased fatal collisions, factors such as pedestrians crossing streets without the right of way, and motorists proceeding when it is not safe to do so have led to more tragic outcomes.
However, some of those fatal collisions occurred while pedestrians were in marked crosswalks, CPS said.
Some 35 per cent of fatal collisions involved unsafe or excessive speed.
