Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says poor and careless driving have contributed to the majority of the 107 fatalities on OPP-patrolled roads so far in 2022.

“It’s a motor vehicle fatality rate the OPP has not seen in 10 years,” said OPP in a media release.

Police says not since 2012 has the number of people killed in road collisions reached the 100 mark by the second week of May.

OPP says fatalities linked to driver inattention are up 79 per cent over this time last year, with the loss of 25 lives to date. There were 14 such deaths last year at this time.

Alcohol/drug-related fatalities are also up, with the 15 people killed marking a 36 per cent increase over last year’s 11 deaths at this time.

OPP say 27 speed-related fatalities are not far off from last year’s mark. With 15 seat belt-related deaths making a slight increase over last year.

During the annual “Canada Road Safety Week” campaign, OPP says it will join national policing partners to conduct robust enforcement and education around inattentive or distracted driving, speeding and other aggressive driving, alcohol and drug impaired driving, seatbelt compliance and other risk road behaviours.

“The motoring public is encouraged to adopt and maintain safe road behaviours that align with this year’s campaign theme “Safer You. Safer Me”. The theme serves to emphasize that the decisions drivers make not only affect them, but also their passengers, other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians,” said OPP in a media release.