Northeastern Ontario has recorded 24 crashes resulting in 30 deaths during the first eight months of 2026, bringing fatalities close to the total documented for all of 2025. The statistics have prompted provincial police to renew calls for driver vigilance as the Labour Day long weekend approaches. OPP Sgt. Mathieu Dufresne with the provincial force’s North East Region provided CTV News with a stark breakdown of the factors contributing to this year’s fatalities. “24 collisions, we’ve lost 30 lives. 11 of those were speed-related deaths, seven due to having no seatbelts, five from having alcohol or drug-related deaths, four from inattention-related deaths,” he said. Impaired driving, seatbelt violations show alarming increases While overall fatality numbers remain just under the 2025 yearly total, specific categories have seen dramatic upward shifts. Drug and alcohol-related deaths have risen from zero last year to five in 2026, while unbelted occupant fatalities and speed-related deaths have also increased compared to 2025. Dufresne said that the perceived benefits of risky driving behaviour are insignificant when weighed against the potential consequences. “I can’t reiterate this message enough,” Dufresne said. “You know, it’s more worth it for your family to get home safely than trying to save that two or three minutes you’re going to (save) from speeding your vehicle.” Motorcyclists face unique risks Northeastern Ontario has experienced only one motorcyclist fatality so far this year, a marked improvement from the four recorded in 2025. However, provincial statistics reveal 38 motorcycle deaths across Ontario, indicating that the issue remains significant on a broader scale. OPP released a social media video addressing a concerning pattern in motorcycle collisions, noting that riders are frequently not at fault. “In these motorcycle collisions, a very good percentage of those motorcyclists were driving properly at the collision, which indicates that it was the other motorists that contributed to the collision and ultimately that rider’s death,” the officer in the video said. Paul Lemelin, a motorcycle instructor at Collège Boréal, said the finding aligns with his professional experience and described the constant mental preparation required of riders. “You’re out there and constantly looking around for what could possibly be a hazard, you know? And what would you do? How would you get out of that, that scenario and we do this every single time we hit the starter,” said Lemelin. “We do it 10,000 times in a season just for that one (time) to be able to use that emergency maneuver that we’ve been thinking about for the last 10 years.” Defensive driving Lemelin acknowledged that visibility issues contribute to motorcycle-related collisions, tell CTV News that other drivers sometimes genuinely fail to see riders on the road. “That’s why it’s important for riders to be vigilant and aware of that in order to try to safeguard themselves and place themselves in better positions, to be more visible,” said Lemelin. He recommended that all drivers, regardless of their licence level, consider enrolling in motorcycle and defensive driving courses to better understand defensive positioning and hazard awareness. “You don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to be able to take that defensive driving course at work or whatever it is, you know, it might save a life one day,” said Lemelin. With the Labour Day long weekend imminent, OPP is reminding all motorists to remain alert, stay sober, wear seatbelts, and obey speed limits – emphasizing that these precautions protect every road user regardless of vehicle size and are essential to reversing the tragic trend that has defined 2026 on northeastern Ontario highways.
