Lack of seatbelts, impairment leading causes of crashes on P.E.I.: RCMP

A Prince Edward Island RCMP officer is pictured. (Source: P.E.I. RCMP)

A lack of seatbelts, impairment and speeding were the leading causes of fatal crashes on Prince Edward Island in the last five years, according to a new study by the RCMP.

Police say they studied the leading contributing factors in the 68 fatal collisions on the Island from Jan. 1, 2019, to Oct. 31, 2024. Eighty people died across those five years of crashes.

The study says people not wearing seatbelts contributed to 35 per cent of fatal collisions. Impaired driving was a close second at 34 per cent, while speeding contributed to 26 per cent of deadly crashes.

"Recent data on fatal collisions in PEI underscores the reality that many of these fatalities are preventable. This report highlights the importance of slowing down, reporting impaired drivers and wearing your seatbelt. Through education and enforcement, we hope to reduce these tragedies," says Chief Superintendent Kevin Lewis, commanding officer of the Prince Edward Island RCMP, in the release.

The release notes impaired driving was connected to 23 of the 80 lives lost between 2019 and 2024. The RCMP stopped 16 impaired drivers on P.E.I. in October.

So far this year, P.E.I. RCMP has made 212 impaired-related arrests; they made more than 230 such arrests in 2023.

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