Ottawa Road Deaths This Year Already Exceed 2025 as Police Urge Everyone to Slow Down

Ottawa has recorded 29 traffic-related deaths so far in 2026, up from 23 in all of 2025, the Ottawa Police Service said Wednesday.

Police announced this in a news release issued at 2:50 p.m., following what they called a series of recent fatal collisions. The service said it is working with Safer Roads Ottawa, the city’s road safety program, to renew an appeal to everyone who drives, walks, cycles or rides to make road safety a priority.

What police said
“Twenty-nine families have already experienced the heartbreak of losing a loved one on our roads this year,” said Sgt. Josh Callaghan of the Road Safety Unit. “These tragedies are not inevitable. Many can be prevented when all road users make safe, responsible choices every time they travel through our community. We are asking everyone to slow down, stay focused and look out for one another before another life is lost.”

Police said enforcement, education and public awareness efforts continue across the city, but enforcement alone cannot prevent every collision.

Two recent deaths
The release did not identify the individual collisions. Two recent fatal crashes reported by CTV News Ottawa illustrate the pattern. On the morning of October 2, a 21-year-old woman riding a motorcycle died after a two-vehicle collision on West Hunt Club Road in the city’s southwest end. Police are investigating it as a hit-and-run and have asked witnesses to come forward. On the morning of October 14, a 60-year-old man died after being struck by a vehicle on Strandherd Drive near Cresthaven Drive in Barrhaven, and police are investigating.

What the numbers do and do not show
The two totals are police counts. The release does not break the 29 deaths down by type of road user, cause, or location, and a year-over-year comparison of a few dozen deaths does not by itself explain why the number has risen. Earlier in 2026, police data reported by CTV News showed collisions up about 6 percent in the first six weeks of the year compared with the same period in 2025, suggesting more crashes but not establishing a cause of the deaths. Police describe the rise as a reminder that road safety is a shared responsibility.

What police are asking
Police asked drivers to obey speed limits, never drive impaired by alcohol, drugs or medication, put distractions away, watch carefully for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, and give vulnerable road users space. They asked pedestrians and cyclists to follow traffic signals, cross safely, stay alert, make themselves visible in low light, and communicate their intentions clearly.

What residents may ask next
For residents, the useful follow-up questions are what the 29 deaths involve, how many were pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists, where they occurred, and what the city and police plan to change beyond appeals. A detailed breakdown from the police service’s Community Safety Data portal, or from the City of Ottawa’s road safety program, would let readers judge whether the rise is concentrated in particular places or behaviours.