Transportation Officials Address Collision Data Challenges
New Brunswick’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has resolved a significant backlog in highway collision data processing, with officials attributing previous delays to budget cuts implemented over a decade ago. Deputy Minister Kelly Cain disclosed to legislative committee members that upon joining the department in 2016, she encountered extensive unprocessed collision reports stored in numerous boxes.
Safety Strategy Gap Acknowledged
Cain openly acknowledged the department’s current lack of a comprehensive highway safety strategy. “We are negligent in that,” she stated during the committee hearing. “We all know that. It is a piece of work that’s in our work plan.” This admission follows recent findings showing New Brunswick maintains Canada’s highest per capita traffic fatality rate according to national collision statistics.
Historical Budget Cuts Impact Data Collection
The data processing delays stem from resource reductions between 2010-2014, when staffing cuts eliminated positions responsible for collision data management. “It was a massive exercise to rehire people and get up and running again,” Cain explained, confirming the department has now cleared the backlog through sustained efforts.
Modernization Efforts Underway
A new digital system now collects collision information directly from police departments through the Department of Public Safety, with shared data informing decisions about speed limit adjustments, signage improvements, and guardrail installations. While not all municipal police forces have adopted the system, officials confirm the information will eventually guide road improvement projects.
Ongoing Concerns About Future Funding
Progressive Conservative MLA Rob Weir raised concerns during the hearing about potential impacts from new budget reductions being considered by the current administration. While Cain suggested technological advancements would minimize disruption from funding cuts, Weir expressed reservations to reporters afterward: “Any cut that affects how we collect collision data is something that I’m not pleased to hear.”
The department continues to face challenges in addressing human factors behind collisions, with Cain noting that approximately 52,000 crashes recorded since 2016 often involve distracted driving behaviors that infrastructure improvements alone cannot prevent.
