A new report on the state of the commercial transportation sector shows that North American fleet collision rates fell between 2021 and 2025.
According to the Oakville-based telematics company GeotabOver, collisions per million miles dropped 38.7% in the period, while collision rates fell 18.3% over the past two years.
It also found Canada’s collision rate remained stagnant in 2025, with the broader regional improvement driven primarily by gains in the U.S.
The data confirms that fleets using active safety tools recorded 28.7% fewer collisions than those that did not. Safety risks remain highly concentrated: the riskiest 10% of drivers account for 1 in 5 collisions and are 7.4 times more likely to crash than the safest drivers.
Despite lower collision frequency, repairers face higher claim costs due to complex vehicle technology, increased medical expenses and litigation trends.
“The industry is navigating a perfect storm of economic pressure, but the data shows that fleets are responding with incredible adaptability,” said Mike Branch, Geotab’s vice-president of data and analytics. “Whether it is rightsizing assets to combat the repercussions of the pandemic, or using generative AI to identify maintenance failures before they happen, our customers are proving that data is the ultimate defensive layer against volatility.”
The authors also found cycle times improved by as much as 25% year-over-year, even as breakdown frequency increased. Fleet vehicles were active an average of 186 days per year.
A similar report, Hub International's 2026 Canada Transportation Outlook, attributed rising operating costs to “nuclear verdicts” — jury awards exceeding US$10 million While these large awards are more common in the United States, the the authors found these verdicts are influencing settlement expectations in Canada.
It also identified third-party litigation financing as a growing factor, where outside investors fund legal cases in exchange for a share of any award. According to the outlook, this dynamic discourages early settlements and increases the likelihood of cases proceeding to trial.
It also found significant concerns about regulatory and legal challenges rose 21 percentage during the year, up from 29% to 50%. The vast majority of transportation leaders -- 92 -- said they expect legal and claims costs to continue pressuring margins through 2026.
