Keith Vodden Dr. Douglas Smith - Transports Canada

Ontario Model
We have no data to guide our allocation of traffic delay cost across collision
severity. We assume that on average injury collisions involve 10 times the delay of PDOs
and fatal collisions involve 100 times the delay of injury collisions (1000 times the delay
for PDOs). Given the disproportionate share of PDO collisions this allocation results in
48%, 41% and 11% of traffic delay cost being applied to fatal, injury and PDO collisions
respectively.
This section of our report provides an estimate of traffic delay costs based on a
sample of data relating to motor vehicle collisions on specified roadways in the Toronto
area. These data are then extrapolated to the entire Province, on the basis of population
data assumed to be related to traffic volumes. This research is preliminary in the sense
that there is not a well-established research literature in this area to establish an analysis
framework and there is no consistent overall data for Ontario on which to base estimates.
In this context, our approach has been to build a framework for developing the best
possible estimate using the available data. Related work has been carried out by MTO in
its publication The Cost of Congestion in the GTA and by Transport Canada in their
publication Urban Congestion in Canada. However, both of these studies focus on
recurring congestion issues rather than collision-based stoppages and delays. Recurring
congestion is generally defined as inadequate capacity of the road system to handle traffic
volumes as opposed to what are usually collision-based incidents in our analysis.
TNS Canadian Facts, Social and Policy Research 45