Road Traffic Injury During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cured or a Continued Threat?

Abstract

Road traffic injury, one of the leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality in Canada, declined substantially as an indirect outcome of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health policies encouraging people to ‘stay at home’ and ‘practice physical distancing’ precipitated shifts in vehicle volumes and speed, transportation mode, and collision rates. Toronto data from January to June 2020 showed a decrease in road transportation, and a simultaneous decrease in road traffic collisions. However, reduced traffic volumes also led to increased vehicle speeds which can result in an increase in injury severity involving pedestrians and cyclists. As the pandemic progresses, an emphasis on safe, active transportation and equitable distribution of street infrastructure throughout the city is essential. A public health approach to road safety includes implementation of evidence-based road safety infrastructure enabled by access to timely transportation data to evaluate changes made.