Map of the Week: Impaired driving in the GTA

TORONTO POLICE HANDOUT

In this week’s first map, we look at impaired driving in the whole GTA, including some rural areas we haven't included before. (Last week's map, which looked at impaired driving across Ontario, is here.)

The region's highest rates of impaired driving are in rural areas of Halton, York and Durham, beginning with Scugog Township, rural Milton, Georgina and Uxbridge. The only exception to the pattern is downtown Oshawa, in the #2 spot. After that, we have Bowmanville and south Pickering, followed by King, an area of Brampton along the 401, and western Oshawa.

In Toronto itself (separate map), impaired driving is concentrated in northern Etobicoke and eastern Scarborough. The highest incidence is in Downsview.

The most obvious relationship here is with car dependency, with the highest impaired driving rates being in the areas with least access to high-quality public transit.

Only one of Toronto's 68 subway stations is in an FSA which had over 1.0 suspensions per thousand, and that one (Kipling) is on the extreme southeast corner of M9B. In fairness, we could also include M8Y, which is across the street from Old Mill and Royal York stations, but that ends the exceptions.

Toronto's impaired driving rates are low by regional standards (and even lower by provincial standards).

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Note: We've been steadily expanding the postal areas depicted on our maps - there are now nearly 200. If the maps take a long time to load, you may find they display better in Firefox.

Comments

[Robyn]

Kipling isn't really a subway station that's accessible to pedestrians -- there's not a lot that's within walking distance of the station (although there are a few new condos nearby). Hidden well south of the main road, it's really a bus- and GO-transfer point and a car-commuter station. I'm not surprised the local area doesn't really reap the benefits of its presence.

[James R McGillawee]

I have three questions for your researchers.
1. Is there any proof that there are higher numbers in any of these locations due to better police enforcement and patrols?
2. Are there any indications of increased impaired driving due to less careful or negligent liquor serving establishments in any of these areas?
3. Can any of these locations be linked to special influences such as stressful employment type or loss of jobs, etc. The Petawawa area is immediately suspect of course! And why Western Sarnia, is that associated with chemical pollution and the toxic chemical dump site on the Indian Reserve?

[moof]

The text indicates rural Peel has one of the higher rates, but the pop-up numbers and shading indicate that urban Brampton and one area of Mississauga have higher rates than any of the rural areas. Are the numbers wrong, or the sidebar. (love the Map of the Week feature BTW)

[pcain]

Thanks, Moof - the map was correct. Peel needed to be changed to Halton in the text, which has been done.

[Kerri MacDonald]

As a spouse of a victim of drunk driving, I can tell you it leaves me speechless that drinking and driving continues.

Like other victims of violent crimes, the consequence of our "society's ambivalence" to drinking and driving lies entirely with the victims, their families and the cost to the public at large.

The law enforcement community continues to provide, as a badge of honour, that they are catching more drunk drivers. This is of little comfort to those of us who know the battle each innocent victim encounters when their injuries prevent them from living as they did prior to this totally preventable action of drinking and driving.

Once a person has chosen to get into a vehicle and drive intoxicated, the carnage is inevitable.

My question would be, why do some people chose to drive when they are under the influence while others chose to wisely (take a taxi, sleep it off) to arrive alive without collective consequences.

Those individuals who chosen wisely, have they already decided prior to starting to drink? Have they had this conversation with others? Do they know victims of drinking and driving?

What is the catalyst which would provoke those people who would otherwise drink and drive to STOP, and chose a safer way home?

Five years ago this September, I would have given this person anything he had asked for, to have made a different decision than to get behind the wheel drunk. My sons would have driven him wherever he needed to go that Sunday at 1:00 pm so that he would not have driven through the stop while he was intoxicated and hit their father, leaving him with a brain injury.

To all of you reading this, it could be anyone you know and love who is the car you hit - a father, son, husband, friend - someone who is loved by many, but whose life you will be altered forever.

Take the time and think of a plan, an alternate plan than drinking and driving.

[CT]

Your map features are really quite interesting

My Question - do the postal codes reflect where the people reside or where they were stopped, tested and found to be impaired?

With the other maps such as murders and assaults they are where the offences occurred.

thanks!

[pcain]

The impaired and street racing maps are based on the postal code on the driver's licence.

[ELizabeth Rogacki]

Another reason for higher rates in rural areas? People who drive those roads think they don't have to go far, they will be on back roads with not much traffic & little chance of being stopped. That along with no public transit & few taxis, is the reason. It is a lot easier to make alternative plans in a city.

[j.w.]

I think drinking and driving should always be a political issue. Politicians like, civilians cannot properly assess a tragic set of circumstances until after it has happened (and especially more so, if their lives have been affected personally). I've drinken and driven, and nearly been in a fatal accident, and no single set of laws are going to change this type of occurrence. Our politicians are responsible for public safety in this area, and yet they are impotent with respect to taking much needed action. I can only hope some politician would read these comments and actually do something about it.

[ardri]

Postal Code M2R just happens to be the area of Bathurst / Finch West to Steeles West otherwise known as "Little Moscow"

[DazednotDrunk]

What are you infering here? Is this science or more hype? Sorry but I don't understand what the Impaired rate/1,000 is in relation to. 1,000 what? Breathalyzers, .08 Blood Alcohol Level Violations, Deaths, Population, wrecks? What is the 1,000 number? What is the comparison in relation of DUIs to other license suspensions in the same area codes. I do not condone DUI; however there seems to be a great concern towards it and yet I have seen nothing suggesting it is a more violent or deadly action then other crime rates. Is such information equally available?

[Twinkle]

Majority of the accidents which happen are caused because of drunk driving... Why doesn't the government ban drunk driving?

[Pablo]

As a person who lives in Muskoka and reads the local paper. My observation is that the stats should be 'Where people are charged." Most of the charges which are listed in the paper are for persons which address are not in Muskoka.
If your driving through Muskoka on Highway 11 you will notice that there are more police on the road than any other highway or road in Ontario (3 this morning in 50 km). We figure that when all the cottagers leave the police have little to occupy their time so handing out tickets is easy way to justify them being around.