Edmonton is facing a dramatic surge in traffic fatalities alongside a concerning increase in excessive speeding violations, according to stark new data presented to the Edmonton Police Commission.
Alarming Statistics Revealed
During Thursday's meeting at city hall, Deputy Police Chief Devin Laforce delivered sobering news about the city's road safety crisis. The deputy chief confirmed that Edmonton recorded its 30th traffic fatality of 2025 just days before the meeting. This represents a significant jump from the 26 fatal collisions throughout all of 2024 and only 24 in 2023.
Laforce emphasized that nearly half of these deadly collisions involved speeding drivers, highlighting a direct correlation between excessive speed and fatal outcomes on Edmonton roads.
Excessive Speeding Epidemic
The data shows an equally troubling trend in driving behavior. Police have documented a 19 percent increase this year in drivers caught speeding more than 50 km/h over posted limits. Deputy Chief Laforce didn't mince words when describing the situation, stating that some of these speeds are just atrocious.
With winter conditions approaching and roads becoming icy, Laforce issued a direct appeal to chronic speeders to ease off their accelerators. While collision numbers typically rise during slick winter months, he noted that severity often varies due to more low-speed incidents occurring in dangerous conditions.
Street Racing and Enforcement Efforts
Laforce identified street racing culture as a contributing factor to the excessive speeding statistics. He explained that police have made concerted efforts to target illegal racing gatherings that have become increasingly popular on Edmonton streets.
There's peaks and valleys for these types of things, especially when you're talking about different racing behaviour or different racing clubs that all of a sudden start, Laforce told commissioners. It becomes popular for whatever reason.
However, the deputy chief clarified that the rise in racing enforcement doesn't diminish the broader problem of everyday drivers simply choosing to drive at dangerously high speeds throughout the city.
Commission Response and Safety Measures
Commission Vice-Chairwoman Shazia Amiri responded to the alarming statistics by promising increased public education campaigns about the need for drivers to slow down. There is going to be that ongoing effort to ensure that we're educating people, Amiri stated.
She added that operationally we're going to keep an eye on it as a commission, because traffic safety is important to the community. The commission plans to maintain close oversight of the situation given its significant impact on public safety.
Laforce also highlighted the critical importance of seatbelt use, noting that sometimes a seatbelt is the difference between a serious collision and a fatality. This simple safety measure becomes increasingly crucial as speeding and dangerous driving behaviors escalate across Edmonton.
