Adedokun Waliyu One would think a city full of traffic congestion, constant highway construction and potholes would be unsafe to drive in.
According to a study conducted by auto and home insurance company MyChoice, it could be quite the contrary. Toronto was ranked the safest city to drive around in the province, the study suggested.
The MyChoice study used data from more than 200,000 auto insurance quotes collected between 2020 and 2025 to analyze crash and infraction records to create a weighted safety index — 70% collisions and 30% infractions.
Out of a score of five, Toronto earned the top score at 4.6.
According to the MyChoice study, only 6.52% of drivers reported a crash on record in Toronto, which was the lowest among other major municipalities in Ontario.
About 7.17% of drivers reported at least one infraction. The city also recorded its lowest traffic fatality total over the last decade.
The ranking stands out, especially in the winter, when almost 200 collisions happen in the GTA in a single day, the study noted.
Toronto’s score is notable as collision rates rose slightly across the Ontario from 10.78% to 11.06% year over year.
The city’s high score for safety could also be attributed to changes to the speed-camera policy and how it may influence future crash and enforcement patterns.
“Defensive driving and consistent enforcement both play a role in shaping long-term safety outcomes. While drivers can’t control local risks, they can control their behaviour behind the wheel,” MyChoice CEO Aren Mirzaian said in a media release.
Toronto took the top spot as the safest driving city with a score of 4.6 out of five. Coming in second was Markham at 3.8. Mississauga and Etobicoke were tied at 3.4, while Ottawa rounded up the top five with a score of 3.3.
Niagara Falls (3.1), Waterloo (3), Scarborough (2.9), Richmond Hill (2.7) and Whitby (2.7) made up the remaining five spots.
According to the study, Barrie ranked as the most dangerous Ontario city to drive in, replacing the distinction once held by Brantford.
The change was due to elevated crash rates rather than infraction spikes. Barrie received an overall score of 0.6 out of five.
Behind Barrie in dangerous ranking was Burlington with a 0.9 score.
