Edmonton is facing a grim reality on its roads as new data reveals a sharp increase in both traffic fatalities and drivers caught at dangerously high speeds. The Edmonton Police Commission received a sobering update at its Thursday meeting, highlighting a public safety crisis that officials are calling deeply concerning.
Alarming Statistics Revealed
Deputy Police Chief Devin Laforce delivered the troubling news to commissioners, confirming that the city recorded its 30th traffic fatality just one day before the meeting. This number already exceeds the total of 26 fatal collisions recorded throughout all of 2024, and the 24 documented in 2023.
Perhaps most startling is the connection between these deaths and speeding behavior. Nearly half of all fatal collisions involved drivers who were speeding, according to police analysis. The situation becomes even more worrying when considering the dramatic increase in extreme speeding incidents.
The Excessive Speed Epidemic
Police data shows that the number of drivers pulled over for traveling more than 50 km/h over the posted limit has surged by 19 percent this year. Deputy Chief Laforce did not mince words when describing these offenses, stating plainly that "some of these speeds are just atrocious."
With winter conditions creating slippery roads, Laforce issued a direct appeal to motorists. "We're asking drivers to do their part," he urged, noting that while collision numbers typically increase during winter months due to ice and snow, the severity often varies with more low-speed incidents.
Commission Vice-Chairwoman Shazia Amiri confirmed that the police service would launch additional media campaigns to reinforce the need for drivers to slow down. "There is going to be that ongoing effort to ensure that we're educating people," Amiri said. "But, operationally we're going to keep an eye on it as a commission, because traffic safety is important to the community."
Street Racing Contributes to Problem
Laforce identified street racing as a significant factor in the rising excessive speeding numbers. Police have made concerted efforts to target illegal racing gatherings and clubs that have become increasingly active 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 explained. "It becomes popular for whatever reason."
However, the deputy chief emphasized that the street racing phenomenon doesn't excuse the behavior of everyday drivers who are simply choosing to floor their accelerators on city roads.
In a notable paradox, while fatalities are increasing, the number of serious collisions has actually decreased. Laforce pointed to seatbelt usage as a potential differentiating factor, noting that "sometimes a seatbelt is the difference between a serious collision and a fatality."
As Edmonton moves deeper into winter driving conditions, police are emphasizing that individual responsibility combined with targeted enforcement will be crucial to reversing these troubling trends and preventing further loss of life on city streets.
