Ottawa Police urge residents to slow down, share the road and stay alert
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 2, 2026 4 p.m.
Ottawa — The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and its road safety partners are urging all road users to make safe choices after a recent increase in serious and fatal collisions across the city this year.
Since September 9, the Ottawa Police Fatal Collision Investigation Unit (FCIU) has responded to ten serious collision investigations, including six fatalities and four with life-threatening injuries.
To date in 2026, Ottawa has experienced 26 traffic-related fatalities and eight life-threatening injury collisions, already surpassing the 23 fatalities recorded during all of 2025. Many of these tragedies have involved vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
Among the fatalities this year were seven pedestrians, one cyclist, four motorcyclists, one ATV operator, and one moped or seated scooter operator. Investigators have also noted a concerning increase in collisions involving older pedestrians and motorcyclists.
Investigators continue to identify several common contributing factors, including speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, careless driving, dangerous driving, and failure to follow the rules of the road.
Behind every collision statistic is a person, a family, and a community forever affected by loss. Most serious collisions are preventable. We are asking everyone to slow down, put distractions away, and make safety their priority every time they travel on Ottawa's roads.
Road safety is a shared responsibility. Whether driving, riding a motorcycle, cycling, or walking, residents are reminded to:
- Obey posted speed limits and adjust speed for road and weather conditions.
- Stay focused on the road and avoid using cell phones or other distractions.
- Never drive impaired by alcohol, drugs, or medication.
- Watch carefully for pedestrians, particularly at intersections and crossings.
- Give cyclists and motorcyclists space and take a second look before turning or changing lanes.
- Follow all traffic laws and signals.
The Ottawa Police Service will continue working with its road safety partners through education, enforcement, and public awareness initiatives aimed at reducing serious collisions and saving lives.
Every road user has a role to play. A few extra seconds of caution can prevent a lifetime of consequences.
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Through the Community Safety Data portal data.ottawapolice.ca, members of the public can view, download, and interact with data released by the Ottawa Police Service.
Help make your community safer: register your information and security camera location at CAMSafe.ca to support investigations.
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