Message from the regional supervising coroner

The coroner’s motto is “We Speak for the Dead to Protect the Living”. On behalf of Ottawa’s Fatal Collision Review Committee, it is my hope this report will help speak for those who have perished on Ottawa’s roads from 2017 until 2020 and contribute to improved safety in our community.

The Fatal Collision Review Committee (FCRC) was established in 2017 and has representation from the Ottawa Police Service, the City of Ottawa Traffic Services, Ottawa Public Health, and the Regional Supervising Coroner’s office. Their expertise is combined to quickly analyze each fatal collision in the city, and over time to collect and analyze data to recognize any important trends or issues.

The goal of the FCRC is not to determine findings of law or guilt. The FCRC’s goal is to make recommendations to improve safety and prevent death on our municipal roads.

Reviews conducted by the FCRC include a comprehensive analysis of the collision itself, with consideration given to mechanical, environmental, structural, policy and human factors which can cause or contribute to preventable collisions. Since the inception of the FCRC, the committee has reviewed 84 collisions, involving 92 deaths and generated a number of recommendations.

This report with its findings and recommendations will be shared with stakeholders who hold an interest in Ottawa’s road safety and is available upon request. Information sharing has as its goal the prevention of future deaths in similar circumstances.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the current and past chairs of the FCRC during this time (Officers Francois D’Aoust, Peter Jupp, Cameron Graham), past members who have shared their expertise (Suzanne Woo, Isobel Granger, Marc Desjardins, Riley Carter, Rob Wilkinson), the current members of the FCRC (Philippe Landry, Krista Tanaka, Craig Roberts, Dr. Brent Moloughney, Officers Mike Herasimenko and Stephanie Andrascik, John Wambombo, Cathy Kourouma) and also Zac Brydges, Jessica Maxwell and Robyn Robertson who have contributed to the construction of this report.