Mississauga is situated next to Toronto on Lake Ontario. This is the sixth-largest city in Canada and a very popular destination for shoppers. It is home to some big corporate giants. The city has one of the busiest airports in Canada, the Toronto Pearson International Airport. This is a multicultural city with many festivals all around the year. This is also reflected in the unique street names such as Indian Line, Latvia Court among others.
The population of Mississauga is growing rapidly and has led to more road traffic. Collisions are on the rise too. Highways run across the city connecting each town. And Japanese cars seem to be a favorite among motorists. Talk about high speed and tech-savvy! Getting insurance coverage for the vehicles is mandatory as per Ontario FSCO regulations. And, competition is high in the insurance sector.
Who Has the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Mississauga
| Rank | Auto Insurance Company | Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson | 2717 |
| 2 | Belairdirect | 2813 |
| 3 | Coseco | 2908 |
| 4 | Wawanesa | 3012 |
| 5 | Aviva | 3032 |
| 6 | The Co-operators | 3040 |
| 7 | Pem Bridge | 3510 |
| 8 | Allstate | 3589 |
| 9 | Coachman | 3690 |
| 10 | CAA | 3863 |
| 11 | Travellers (Dominion Product) | 3886 |
| 12 | CAA | 4068 |
| 13 | Travellers (Chieftain Product) | 4116 |
| 14 | Economical | 4178 |
| 15 | Intact | 4393 |
| 16 | Echelon | 4751 |
| 17 | Intact | 4793 |
| 18 | Echelon | 4884 |
Most Expensive Auto Insurer in Mississauga
Mississauga is a big city with a dense population. So, the risk factor is also high when calculating premiums. Comparing the apple to apple strategy may not be possible when it comes to car insurance. As per our comparison, the most expensive auto insurance quote was by Echelon at $4,884. This company is amongst the few companies that do provide high-risk car insurance in Ontario. That may be a reason why the quote came up so high.
Cheapest Auto Insurer in Mississauga
There are various criteria that insurers consider when calculating car insurance premiums. The driver record, vehicle history, risk score, location, etc. are some of the criteria. We made a comparison of car insurance quotes between major insurers in Mississauga. The lowest quote was by Johnson at an average annual premium of $2,717. The next lowest quote was about $100 expensive. As we look at the difference in the highest and lowest quotes it is a steep $2,167. That is a wide range of almost 45%.
Cost of Car Insurance in Select Mississauga Neighbourhoods
| Neighborhoods | Car Insurance can be as low as* |
|---|---|
| Clarkson | 1362 |
| Cooksville | 1626 |
| Dixie | 1802 |
| Elmbank | 1977 |
| Erin Mills | 2109 |
| Erindale | 1864 |
| Lakeview | 1612 |
| Lisgar | 1626 |
| Lorne Park | 1362 |
| Malton | 1977 |
| Meadowvale Village | 2109 |
| Meadowvale | 1626 |
| Port Credit | 1362 |
| Rockwood Village | 1626 |
| Streetsville | 1802 |
| *Based on 35 years old Honda Civic driver with no accidents, cancellations and tickets in past 5 years |
Most Expensive Areas in Mississauga
The Streetsville area in Mississauga seems to have the most expensive car insurance rates at an average annual premium of $1,802. It is a small town with good proximity to downtown. Recently, the crime rate in this area has risen and may be a reason for a high insurance quote.
Following next in the expensive category is Rockwood Village at $1,626. The difference in the quotes is $176 which is a huge margin. The area is mostly upscale with urban dwellings and road traffic is also increasing in this area day today.
Least Expensive Areas in Mississauga
As per the comparison, we did about car insurance rates in some popular neighborhoods, the Clarkson area in Mississauga had the cheapest quote at $1,362. The difference amount between Streetsville and Clarkson area was a staggering $1,662. Given a choice, it may not be a surprise if a new motorist moving into Mississauga may prefer living in Clarkson due to the low car premiums.
The next best quote was for the Cooksville area at $1,626 annually with a difference of $264 compared to Clarkson. That is a huge variation in the rates between both areas.
Road Safety & Tips For Driving In Mississauga
In Mississauga, the road traffic is becoming busier by the day. There are many initiatives taken by the traffic administration in the city for better road safety. But there are also a lot that motorists could be mindful of as follows.
Pay attention to construction zones- In Mississauga, construction projects are not a surprise that sprouts out nowhere. Most of the building and road work projects are done in summer, spring, and fall rather than during winter. It is a wise idea to stay updated on where construction projects are going on so that you may plan a detour if needed.
Speed down in small towns- It is recommended to speed down in municipality areas. The city speed limits are around 40 to 80 km/hr and some areas have limits set at 50 km/hr. In the case of any developments for spacing driveways or more pedestrians using the road, it is best to stay below or at the posted speed limit to avoid an incident.
Cautious driving around safety zones- Special Community safety areas are spread out in many parts of Mississauga such as near schools, childcare centers or elderly care facilities. Speeding in such zones is a strict no as fines are pretty high if caught doing so.
Active Programs Utilized to Enhance Safety on Regional Roads of Mississauga
There are many programs geared towards better safety in Mississauga by traffic and works departments. Some of the active traffic safety initiatives are as follows.
Program for Red Light Cameras- At the moment, 26 sites of the Peel region which includes Mississauga have cameras installed in intersections with frequent collisions at right angles.
Traffic Calming- Currently 4 sites have speed cushions active to restrain speed in busy traffic.
Crosswalks- Ladder painting on crosswalks is now on 88% of the entire traffic network.
Miovision Data- Video footage is being currently recorded at many sites to monitor the traffic patterns for collecting data.
Radar Speed- There are trailers at specific targets that are moved periodically to educate the public about speed warnings.
Right-Turn Channels – This smart plan is for better pedestrian visibility, ease of knowing the speed of approaching vehicles even from left angles, and reduced need for the property.
Signal Heads for Pedestrians- The countdown signal heads to aid with crossing are active at about 52% of the traffic network.
Speed Methodology- A lot of data analysis for a better understanding of speed requirements is being done for road safety.
COLLISION STATISTICS FOR THE REGION OF PEEL (2010-2012)
| Year | Fatal injury | Non-fatal injury | Non reportable | Property damage only | Total Collisions | Estimated Population | Collisions Per 1000 Population | Average Number of Collisions Per Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 12 | 1005 | 37 | 5150 | 6204 | 1296000 | 4.8 | 17 |
| 2011 | 7 | 1034 | 50 | 5583 | 6674 | 1296814 | 5.1 | 18.3 |
| 2012 | 7 | 1141 | 40 | 4905 | 6093 | 1328000 | 4.6 | 16.7 |
When we looked at the data for collision with respect to property damage and fatal injuries there has been a decrease. Over a span of 2 years, the total number of collisions had decreased by about 141 incidents. The property damage incidents came down by 245. On the other hand, the instances of injuries that were not fatal increased by 136. It is also worth noting that the population is estimated to have risen by 32000 and that means more road traffic. The numbers for fatal injury remained stable over 2011-2012 at 7.
CLASSIFICATION OF COLLISIONS PER 1000 POPULATION (2010-2012)
| STATISTIC | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Collisions | 6204 | 6674 | 6093 |
| Number of Collisions per 1,000 Population | 4.8 | 5.1 | 4.6 |
| Percentage of Collisions involving Trucks | 9.2 | 8.1 | 7.7 |
| Number of Fatal Collisions | 12 | 7 | 7 |
| Number of Injury Collisions | 1005 | 1034 | 1141 |
| Number of Collisions Involving Pedestrians | 68 | 73 | 66 |
| Number of Collisions Involving Cyclists | 34 | 43 | 50 |
| Percentage of Collisions Occurring at Intersections | 0.643 | 0.644 | 0.666 |
| Day with Highest Number of Collisions | Tuesday | Wednesday | Friday |
| Month with Highest Number of Collisions | November | January | October |
| Time of Day with Highest Number of Collisions | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
| Most Common Collision Type | Rear End | Rear End | Rear End |
| Most Frequently Recorded Improper Driving Action | Following too Close | Following too Close | Following too Close |
| Percentage of Alcohol-Related Collisions | 0.014 | 0.018 | 0.015 |
| Source: https://www.peelregion.ca/council/agendas/2015/2015-01-22-rc-agenda.pdf |
When we look into more details as per categories in the collision numbers, incidents with cyclists are increasing at around 32% over a 2-year span. Some numbers have improved in terms of collisions due to trucks and just a tiny bit for pedestrian accidents. There does not seem to be much consistency related to the month of the year or the days of the month for the comparison of collision data. But it does look predictable that 5 pm looks like not the best time to be on the roads with the highest number of accidents around that time as per data for 2010-2012. The most common driving mistake that motorists could pay attention to is to avoid following other vehicles too closely. It is better to maintain safe distances and avoid accidents.
Red Light Camera Locations in Peel Region
When a driver goes past the intersection at a red light, this gets recorded in the cameras placed in 26 busy intersections as above. These cameras are for the better safety of all on the road and to enforce stopping at red lights by motorists. The penalty for driving past the intersection at a red light is not cheap at $325. The camera captures the following details:
- The license plate of the vehicle
- Time and date of occurrence
- Time of crossing the red line and the span of active time for the red light
- Speed of the crossing vehicle
The following are the 26 active red light camera sites.
- Airport Road @ Clark Boulevard
- Airport Road @ Queen Street
- Airport Road @ Williams Parkway
- Bovaird Drive East @ Torbram Road
- Derry Road @ Airport Road
- Derry Road @ Hurontario Street
- Derry Road @ Mavis Road
- Derry Road @ Rexwood Road
- Derry Road @ Tomken Road
- Derry Road @ Winston Churchill Boulevard
- Dixie Road @ Bloor Street
- Erin Mills Parkway @ Britannia Road
- Erin Mills Parkway @ The Collegeway
- Erin Mills Parkway @ Credit Valley Road
- Erin Mills Parkway @ Eglinton Avenue West
- Erin Mills Parkway @ Erin Centre Boulevard
- Erin Mills Parkway @ Folkway Drive
- Erin Mills Parkway @ Thomas Street
- Hwy 50 & Queen Street East
- Kennedy Road @ Vodden Street
- Mississauga Road @ Meadowvale Boulevard
- Queen Street West @ West Drive/Laurelcrest Street
- Steeles Avenue @ Bramalea Road
- Steeles Avenue @ Kennedy Road
- Steeles Avenue East @ Resolution Drive
- Steeles Avenue @ Rutherford Road/First Gulf Boulevard
Map of Red Light Camera Locations in Peel Region
As per the above map, the 26 active sites for red-light cameras have been pretty spreading out across the Peel region. There are many more sites planned to have the red light cameras installed to improve adherence. These cameras have helped to reduce the number of collisions due to right-angle turns at the intersections. The timeframe of 3 weeks is all that is allowed between the violations and the time the traffic tickets are mailed to the offenders.
Criminal Code Driving Statistical Report for Peel Region
As per the above chart for collision statistics in a 3-year span, there is consistency in total criminal offenses for driving at 5257. The number of offenses for driving under impaired conditions has risen by 125 over 2014 to 2015. But the numbers for failure to remain/stop instances have dropped by 115. There is a reduction of 11 instances of dangerous operation by motorists over 2014 to 2015 that needs to be improved to avoid collisions. Of all the types of offenses in the above chart, the numbers for failure to remain/stop are very high in proportion compared to other offenses.
Methodology
In order to conduct the survey, we assumed that our sample is a Honda Civic driver aged 35 with no tickets or traffic violations in the last 5 years. The comparison charts have been made as an estimate only and quotes may vary with each insurer in Mississauga based on different factors.
About the Author: Ashley Miller
