The most dangerous winter road in Ontario is not the 401. Here’s where it really is

A new study finds that more than half of the most dangerous winter roads in Canada are in Ontario, with weather, wildlife, and urban factors contributing to collisions.

Fleet management and safety company Samsara released a list of the top 10 dangerous winter hotspots in the country based on fleet vehicle data collected between 2022 and 2025.

At the top of the nationwide list is Erieau Road, located in the Chatham-Kent region near Lake Erie.

"That wind and that moisture coming off that lake is really affecting that road," said Samsara's head of insights, Kelly Soderlund.

With only two narrow lanes and a high risk of lake-effect snow from the nearby water, Soderlund said Erieau Road's winter crash rate is six times higher than the following location on the list.

Samsara equips all of its fleet vehicles with artificial intelligence sensors and cameras to track crashes, harsh braking, and speeding. Soderlund used three years' worth of that data to track "clusters" of crash areas across the country.

"If a large fleet is going to crash, then that's an indicator that it is also a danger for passenger vehicles," Soderlund said.

Highway 17 in Kenora-Dryden, Highway 11 in Hearst-Kapuskasing and the Queen Elizabeth Way along the Burlington Skyway are also on the danger list.

Highway 401 rounds out the top 10 with two separate danger zone locations: one in Mississauga, where the 401, 403 and 410 intersect, and another along the collector-express weave between Toronto Pearson Airport and Scarborough.

Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) spokesperson Nadia Matos said that, despite the data, she believes Ontario highways are among the safest in North America.

"Perhaps we do have more collisions in the wintertime when people are hustling and bustling to get to their loved ones, but I think it's important not to lose sight of the fact that our highways in Ontario are still pretty safe," Matos said.

Factors contributing to crashes

Soderlund said that while human error is responsible for some vehicle crashes, she noted that most dangerous road hotspots fall into one of three categories.

Like Erieau Road, Soderlund said any roads near water are at risk of dangerous conditions in winter weather.

"You get a lake effect where you get snow squalls that destroy visibility, high wind exposure and that flash freeze condition," she explained.

Remote areas with abundant wildlife can also lead to unexpected collisions, especially when roads are icy, she said.

Finally, busy areas where commercial and passenger vehicles are both on the road can lead to danger.

"Wherever we see a convergence of passenger vehicles and freight or large trucks … that's really going to be the recipe for higher crash volume," Soderlund said. "That's where consumer drivers really need to be careful, be aware and just drive a little bit safer,” she said.

Winter sees the highest crash volume

Data from the study also shows that winter is the most dangerous season to drive all year, with more than one-third of crashes happening in the colder months.

Soderlund said that while holidays like Christmas and New Year's are relatively calm on the roads, it's the "transition days” before and after that the dangerous conditions are amplified by the number of cars on the road and inclement weather conditions.

Matos said the CAA is reminding drivers to take it slow this holiday season, no matter what road they are travelling.

"We recommend that you just take your time to get ready, that you slow down, that you eliminate all distractions because you need your full attention on the road, making sure you're looking out for dangers," Matos said.