Provincial police have released alarming numbers when it comes to fatalities on Ontario’s roads and trails.

The snowmobile season was the most tragic in more than a decade, with snowmobile deaths reaching a fourteen year high.

There were twenty six snowmobile deaths in Ontario, the highest number since the 2003-2004 season. In February alone, seventeen people died.

"It was an up and down winter so we had good ice conditions and then they were bad. That just makes bad ice and, people need to recognise that,” says Kevin Hagen with Mid-Ontario Snowmobile Trails. “The other big thing is speed. We can't stress this enough it's a trail, not a road and people need to drive accordingly."

The number of deaths on Ontario roads has also gone up from last year. Deaths resulting from crashes in Ontario reached a four year high, with 307 fatalities.

“One of the big issues that we see over and over again is the big four causal factors in road collisions,” says OPP Sgt Kerry Schmidt. “Distracted driving, aggressive driving, impaired driving and people not wearing a seatbelt,” he says.

Police say the big four contributed to at least half of the fatal collisions. The number of vehicle related deaths in Ontario has risen steadily since 2013.

OPP say they are sharing the information to raise awareness about safety and the deadly consequences of crashes.