Fatalities on Ontario highways back to pre-pandemic levels

Ontario Provincial Police say 259 people have been killed in collisions on roads, waterways and trails so far this year.

Nineteen people have died in the last week alone.

There have been eight fatal crashes involving bicycles up from just two last year, which is a 300 percent increase.

The OPP says speeding remains the number one cause of death in motor vehicle collisions across the province.

"When we look at these investigations and try to determine why they're happening – you know, aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, and people not wearing their safety equipment – every one of those four categories is on the rise as we look from years past," said Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.

Provincial police say the number of overall crashes had dropped during the pandemic, but recent numbers show they are at a pre-pandemic level.