The City of Hamilton ranks as the eleventh most dangerous city for driving in Ontario, according to the latest annual update from Toronto-based insurance technology company MyChoice Financial Inc.
Despite ranking amongst the most dangerous in the province, Hamilton’s position has improved since last year, when the city was ranked the fifth most dangerous.
The ratings are based on data from over 200,000 car insurance quotes collected by MyChoice since 2020, including detailed accident and infraction records.
MyChoice ranks cities based on the weighted averages of accidents and infractions, such as distracted driving and speeding, with a 70/30 importance ratio, creating a scoring system from 0 to 5.
The methodology determined that the most dangerous city for driving in the province for 2026 is Barrie, followed by Burlington, Brantford, Kingston, and Belleville.
Meanwhile, the study determined that the safest cities for driving are Toronto, Markham, Mississauga, Etobicoke, and Ottawa.
Brantford was ranked the most dangerous in last year’s analysis.
MyChoice says that Barrie overtook Brantford primarily due to elevated accident rates.
According to data, in the City of Hamilton, 12.39 per cent of drivers have at least one accident on record, while 11.33 per cent have at least one infraction on record.
Hamilton ranks eighth highest in terms of drivers with accidents and eleventh in terms of infractions.
Barrie was first for accidents at 14.54 per cent, while Brantford was first for infractions at 15.13 per cent.
The percentage of drivers with collisions on their record province-wide in Ontario has also increased, going from 10.78 per cent to 11.06 per cent – a rise of 0.28 percentage points.
MyChoice warns that a single at-fault collision in Ontario “can nearly double premiums at renewal.”
In light of the findings, MyChoice CEO Aren Mirzaian provided drivers with some advice: “Drivers can’t control the regional risk trends, but they can control how they drive. Following the defensive driving principles, such as leaving extra space, slowing down in poor conditions, and minimizing distractions, remains one of the most effective ways to stay safe on the road. Winter tires are also a smart seasonal upgrade that can qualify you for an insurance discount.”
It should be noted that several factors could influence the data, including potential underreporting of accidents, differences in the volume of police traffic enforcement between cities, and traffic density (which decreases the rate of severe accidents due to lower speeds).
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
