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More than half of Canada's most dangerous winter roads are in Ontario, where weather, wildlife and urban factors contribute to collisions, according to a new study.
Fleet management and safety company Samsara has released a list of the top 10 most dangerous winter hot spots in the country based on vehicle data collected between 2022 and 2025.
At the top of the national list is Erio Road, which is in the Chatham-Kent region near Lake Erie.
“The wind and moisture coming off the lake really impacts the road,” Samsara head of analysis Kelly Soderlund said.
Because there are only two narrow lanes and a high risk of lake-like snow falling from the nearby water, accident rates on Erio Road in the winter are six times higher than the next location on the list, Soderlund said.
Samsara equips all its vehicles with AI sensors and cameras to monitor accidents, heavy braking and speeding. Soderlund used three years of this data to track “clusters” of disaster zones across the country.
“If a large fleet fails, that would be an indicator that it also poses a risk to passenger cars,” Soderlund said.
Highway 17 in Kenora-Dryden, Highway 11 in Hearst-Kapuskasing and Queen Elizabeth Way along the Burlington Skyway are also on the danger list.
As for Ontario, Highway 401 rounds out the top 10 with two distinct danger zones: one in Mississauga where Highways 401, 403 and 410 intersect, and the other along the collector-express weave between Toronto Pearson Airport and Scarborough.
Here are the top 10 most dangerous roads in Russia. 20 on the list according to Samsara:
- Erio Road (Ontario).
- Yellowhead Highway 16 (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan).
- Highway 2 (Alberta).
- Highway of Heroes (New Brunswick).
- Timberland Road (British Columbia).
- Trans-Canada Highway (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario).
- Highway Jean-Lesage, A-20 (Quebec).
- Steeles Avenue East (Ontario).
- Highway 43 (Alberta).
- Highway 17 (Ontario).
Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) spokeswoman Nadia Matos said despite the data, she believes Ontario's highways are among the safest in North America.
“We may have more collisions in the winter as people hustle and bustle to get to their loved ones, but I think it's important not to lose sight of the fact that our roads in Ontario are still pretty safe,” Matos said.
Factors contributing to failures
Soderlund said that while some vehicle crashes are caused by human error, she noted that the most dangerous road spots fall into one of three categories.
Like Erio Road, Soderlund said any roads near water are at risk for hazardous conditions during winter weather.
“You get a lake effect when you have snow squalls that reduce visibility, exposure to high winds and sudden freezing,” she explained.
Remote areas with an abundance of wildlife can also lead to unexpected collisions, especially when roads are icy, she said.
Finally, busy areas with both commercial and passenger vehicles on the road can pose a hazard.
“Any time we see passenger cars and cargo vehicles or large trucks converging … that's really going to be a recipe for more accidents,” Soderlund said. “This is where consumer drivers really need to be careful, be careful and just drive a little safer,” she said.
The highest volume of accidents occurs in winter
The study data also shows that winter is the most dangerous time of year to drive all year, with more than a third of crashes occurring during the colder months.
Soderlund said that while holidays like Christmas and New Year's are relatively quiet on the roads, they are “transition days” before and after which hazardous conditions are exacerbated by the number of vehicles on the road and inclement weather conditions.
Matos said the CAA is reminding drivers to take their time this holiday season, no matter what road they're driving on.
“We encourage you to just take the time to prepare, slow down and eliminate all distractions because you need all your attention on the road to make sure you're keeping an eye out for hazards,” Matos said.
