The Region of Durham is the largest geographical jurisdiction in the Greater Toronto Area, encompassing an area of approximately 2,532 km2 and containing 832 km of arterial roadways. With a current population of approximately 660,000, it is expected to reach almost one million by 2031.
The Durham Vision Zero SRSAP outlines the Region’s vision as “Zero people killed or injured across all modes of transportation”. At the time of the plan’s development, Durham was experiencing approximately 6,700 reported collisions annually (an average of one collision every 1.5 hours), sometimes resulting in serious injury or even death. Beyond the societal repercussions, collisions were costing the community approximately $225 million per year.
“Vision Zero is a road safety concept that originated in Sweden in 1997 and has been adopted in various forms around the world. It can be summarized in one sentence: No loss of life is acceptable as a result of a motor vehicle collision.” (Durham Region)
Did you know?
- 44 % of all pedestrians involved in collisions are younger than 25 years old
- One in seven cannabis users reported driving at least once within two hour of using cannabis products
- 27 % of at-fault drivers are between the ages of 16 and 25
- Drivers using their phones behind the wheel are four times more likely to crash than those who are focused on the road
Implementing the vision… and exceeding it
CIMA+ partnered with the Region and key stakeholders to translate Vision Zero principles into a comprehensive, data-driven strategy. The five-year plan (2019–2024) established a measurable goal of reducing fatal and injury collisions by 10 per cent and identified eight key areas of focus: intersections, aggressive driving, distracted driving, young drivers, pedestrians, impaired driving, cyclists and commercial vehicles.
CIMA+ supported the development of the plan, guided its evidence-based prioritization process, and contributed to the subsequent evaluation and Vision Zero Report Card.
Through coordinated engineering, enforcement, education and engagement initiatives, more than 260 countermeasures were implemented. Each countermeasure was selected based on two key criteria:
- Demonstrated potential to reduce the frequency or severity of collisions within one or more identified emphasis areas, supported by proven effectiveness such as collision modification factors documented in the Crash Modification Factors (CMF) Clearinghouse (a central, online database for the evaluation of traffic safety countermeasures)
- A clear commitment from the Region and/or a partner agency to support and deliver the intervention
The results showed a 17 per cent reduction in fatal and injury collisions on regional roads, surpassing the original target. Together, the plan and its evaluation have established a replicable governance and performance framework for advancing road safety.
CIMA+ won a 2026 Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) technical achievement award for this project.
Proving what works: results in action
As one of the first municipalities in Canada to complete a full Vision Zero implementation review supported by a formal report card, the Region of Durham has set a new benchmark for road safety planning, evaluation and accountability.
Performance was assessed by comparing collision data prior to implementation (2014–2018) to data collected after the plan was rolled out (2023–2024). This before-and-after review helped demonstrate how the safety measures made a significant difference. A proven statistical method was used to account for normal year-to-year changes in collision trends, increasing confidence that the improvements were the result of the implemented actions and not just normal variability in road incidents. The analysis confirmed significant reductions in fatal and injury collisions, revealing the effectiveness of targeted interventions and supporting evidence-based investment decisions.