Weather and traffic accidents in Montreal, Canada

The impact of weather conditions on traffic accidents is an insufficiently understood and poorly quantified phenomenon in Canada, and recent research results reflect conditions that are not entirely characteristic of the Canadian climatic setting. This study analyzed the effects of rain, mean temperature and snow on automobile accidents in Montreal, Canada, from 1990 to 1992. Three time frames were used, monthly, annual and the entire study period. All 3 weather variables impacted road accidents significantly. Snow was shown to be the leading variable, as the number of accidents increased sharply with increased snowfalls. This finding is important in light of recent provincial and municipal proposals to reduce spending on winter snow clearing as a way of cutting operating costs.