Major Mackenzie Drive Accident Claims in Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham
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Major Mackenzie Drive is one of York Region’s principal east-west roads. It crosses Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham and connects with Highway 427, Highway 400 and Highway 404.
Those three freeway connections distinguish Major Mackenzie from most York Region roads. A collision which occurs near the northern end of Highway 427 could involve vehicles leaving a controlled-access highway and entering western Vaughan. Near Highway 400, freeway traffic mixes with vehicles travelling toward Jane Street, Maple and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. At Highway 404, the collision location may determine whether York Region or Ontario controls the road and interchange records.
Major Mackenzie passes hospital areas and established neighbourhoods in Vaughan and Richmond Hill before continuing through denser parts of Markham and then into more open sections approaching York Durham Line.
Who Controls Major Mackenzie Drive?
Major Mackenzie Drive is also known as York Regional Road 25. York Region typically operates and maintains the Regional roadway, while Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham control many of the adjoining local streets. Ontario is responsible for Highways 427, 400 and 404 and their provincial interchange infrastructure.
York Region explains the distinction between Regional, local and provincial roads on its Regional roads page.
The nearest intersection does not always identify the responsible road authority. A driver may make an unsafe lane change on a provincial ramp but collide with another vehicle after entering Major Mackenzie Drive. A sequence can also begin on the Regional road and continue onto an entrance ramp.
Major Mackenzie Drive Car Accidents in Vaughan
The Vaughan portion of Major Mackenzie Drive connects with Highway 427 and crosses Highway 27, Islington Avenue, Pine Valley Drive, Weston Road, Highway 400, Jane Street, Keele Street, Dufferin Street and Bathurst Street.
Its western sections serve growing residential communities and drivers travelling between Highway 427 and the rest of Vaughan. Farther east, the road passes through the Highway 400 interchange, the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital area and established parts of Maple.
Our Vaughan personal injury lawyers represent people seriously injured in Major Mackenzie Drive collisions and other motor vehicle accidents throughout Vaughan.
The northern end of Highway 427
Highway 427 ends at Major Mackenzie Drive. Northbound drivers must leave the controlled-access highway through the interchange rather than continue beyond it.
A crash in this area of Major Mackenzie may begin on Highway 427, on a ramp, at the connection with Major Mackenzie or during a lane change after a vehicle has entered the Regional road. Traffic backing up from the interchange can also lead to a collision some distance from the ramp.
Our article about Highway 427 accident claims from Vaughan to Toronto examines crashes that begin on the provincial highway and its Vaughan extension.
Highway 400, Jane Street and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital
The Highway 400 interchange creates a different traffic environment. Drivers continuing along Major Mackenzie share the road with vehicles positioning themselves for the freeway and vehicles entering from its ramps.
Traffic may begin slowing before the immediate interchange. Where several vehicles collide, the investigation may need to determine whether a lane change occurred shortly before impact, how far the queue extended and whether an initial collision pushed one vehicle into another.
Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital is located at 3200 Major Mackenzie Drive West, at the northwest corner of Jane Street and Major Mackenzie Drive.
The surrounding area includes hospital entrances, transit facilities, pedestrians, emergency vehicles and traffic travelling between Jane Street and Highway 400. A recording may be held by the hospital, a nearby property, a transit facility or a passing vehicle, but the field of view and retention period will differ between systems.
Major Mackenzie Drive Car Accidents in Richmond Hill
Major Mackenzie Drive continues through Richmond Hill near Bathurst Street, Trench Street, Yonge Street, Bayview Avenue and Leslie Street before reaching Highway 404.
This portion of the road passes established neighbourhoods, schools, shopping areas and medical facilities. The relevant evidence can differ significantly between a collision near the hospital district and one involving traffic approaching Highway 404.
Our Richmond Hill personal injury lawyers assist people injured in serious Major Mackenzie Drive collisions and other accidents throughout Richmond Hill.
The Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital area
Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital is located at 10 Trench Street, south of Major Mackenzie Drive.
Patients, visitors, staff, ambulances and pedestrians travel through the surrounding roads. Drivers approaching the hospital may enter through Trench Street, Yonge Street or nearby local streets while looking for an entrance, drop-off area or parking.
Potential recordings may be controlled by different medical buildings, businesses, residential properties, parking operators or vehicles. A camera positioned near the hospital does not necessarily face Major Mackenzie Drive or capture the collision location.
Medical records created after a crash help establish the injuries, symptoms and treatment. They do not ordinarily determine who caused the collision. Fault must still be proven through roadway, witness, vehicle and electronic evidence.
Major Mackenzie Drive and Yonge Street
The Yonge Street intersection brings together two major Regional roads. A disputed collision may involve through traffic, protected turns, pedestrians, buses or vehicles unable to clear the intersection because traffic has stopped ahead.
Two drivers may each claim to recall receiving a green signal while referring to different signal phases. The investigation may need to establish whether a protected turn arrow was displayed, when each vehicle entered the intersection, which lane each occupied and whether another vehicle restricted visibility.
York Region permits requests for signal-timing plans and traffic-signal timing letters for Regional-road intersections.
A timing plan can show the programmed sequence and duration of the phases. It will not necessarily prove which indication was displayed to a particular driver at the precise moment of impact. Video, witnesses, maintenance information and available controller records may provide further evidence.
Major Mackenzie Drive Car Accidents in Markham
East of Highway 404, Major Mackenzie Drive continues through Markham near Woodbine Avenue, Warden Avenue, Kennedy Road, McCowan Road, Markham Road, Donald Cousens Parkway, Ninth Line, Reesor Road and York Durham Line.
The western and central portions of the Markham corridor include residential development, schools, community facilities and large signalized intersections. Farther east, the distance between intersections, roadside access, lighting and surrounding land uses change.
Our Markham personal injury lawyers investigate serious Major Mackenzie Drive car accidents and other personal injury claims throughout Markham.
Major Mackenzie Drive and Highway 404
Drivers who are leaving Highway 404 might need to switch lanes after entering Major Mackenzie Drive. Vehicles already travelling on the Regional road may be moving toward Woodbine Avenue or continuing east.
If each driver claims that they occupied the lane first, relevant evidence may include the ramp and lane design, markings in place on the collision date, the angle of impact, dashcam footage and electronic vehicle data.
Our guide to Highway 404 accident claims near Newmarket and Markham addresses collisions that begin on the controlled-access highway, including congestion, HOV-lane disputes and interchange traffic.
Central Markham intersections
Between Woodbine Avenue and Markham Road, Major Mackenzie crosses several wide, signalized intersections serving residential neighbourhoods, schools and commercial properties.
Crashes often occur during a left turn across several lanes, a vehicle entering from a side street, traffic stopping beyond an intersection or a driver changing lanes before an approaching turn.
Commercial and residential properties may possess recordings, but the footage can be overwritten before the police report is completed. The location of nearby buildings and cameras should be documented early rather than waiting for an insurer to finish its preliminary investigation.
The eastern Markham corridor
East of Markham Road, Major Mackenzie Drive does not maintain one uniform road environment. Some sections remain close to residential development, while others contain longer distances between signals, agricultural properties and roadside entrances.
The collision investigation should account for the location-specific speed limit, lighting, sightlines, pavement markings, traffic controls and surrounding properties.
As of August 2026, York Region was installing new traffic signals at Major Mackenzie Drive and York Durham Line. For a collision occurring during or after a traffic-control change, the configuration in place on the collision date should be confirmed.
How Do the Three Highway Connections Affect a Claim?
The Highway 427, Highway 400 and Highway 404 connections are not interchangeable. Highway 427 terminates at Major Mackenzie Drive. The investigation may therefore focus on vehicles leaving or entering the freeway at its northern end.
Highway 400 crosses Major Mackenzie within a busy part of Vaughan near Jane Street and Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. Traffic can be affected by vehicles entering and leaving the freeway, hospital traffic and congestion extending beyond the ramps.
Highway 404 lies near the Richmond Hill–Markham boundary. A collision may involve Major Mackenzie Drive, provincial ramp infrastructure or a vehicle that has just left the highway.
For each interchange, the evidence should establish:
where the first unsafe movement occurred;
where the vehicles first made contact;
whether a lane change began on a ramp or the Regional road;
whether traffic was already queued from the freeway; and
which authority controlled the location.
Those findings can determine whether records should be sought from York Region, Ontario or both.
Major Mackenzie Drive Construction and Temporary Road Changes
Construction can sometimes temporarily change lane widths, stop lines, turning paths, signals, pedestrian routes and sightlines.
As of August 2026, two projects directly affecting Major Mackenzie Drive included:
culvert rehabilitation west of Yonge Street in Richmond Hill; and
new traffic signals at Major Mackenzie Drive and York Durham Line in Markham.
York Region’s road construction schedule should be checked for the collision date.
If temporary work might have been one of the causes of the collision, photographs should show the lane layout, barriers, signs, pavement markings, signal heads, lighting and sightlines. Relevant records may include traffic-control plans, inspection reports, lane-closure information and photographs documenting the applicable stage of construction.
What Evidence Is Most Important on Major Mackenzie Drive?
Near a freeway connection, ramp design, lane markings, traffic queues and vehicle data might aid in establishing whether collision began on Major Mackenzie Drive or provincial infrastructure.
Near Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital or Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital, recordings may be held by separate hospital, parking, medical, residential or commercial properties. Each potential source must be identified individually.
At a large signalized intersection, the investigation may require the signal plan, witness evidence, dashcam footage and recordings from nearby buildings. A police charge can be relevant, but it does not automatically determine civil responsibility.
Frequently Asked Questions About Major Mackenzie Drive Accident Claims
Who maintains Major Mackenzie Drive?
Major Mackenzie Drive is otherwise referred to as York Regional Road 25. York Region generally operates and maintains the roadway through Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham. Local streets and provincial highway infrastructure may be controlled by other authorities.
Which 400-series highways connect with Major Mackenzie Drive?
Major Mackenzie Drive connects with Highway 427, Highway 400 and Highway 404. Highway 427 terminates at Major Mackenzie, while Highways 400 and 404 cross the Regional road.
Why is the precise collision location important?
The location can determine whether York Region or Ontario controlled the road, which police and maintenance records may exist and whether evidence should be sought from a hospital, business, construction contractor or nearby property.
Major Mackenzie Drive Accident Lawyers Serving York Region
Foster Injury Law is capable of representing people who are seriously injured in car accidents along Major Mackenzie Drive and throughout Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham and York Region.
We can investigate whether the collision began on the Regional road or provincial highway infrastructure, identify time-sensitive video and electronic evidence, assist with accident benefits and pursue claims against negligent drivers and other responsible parties.
We offer free consultations and contingency-fee representation. Legal fees are not charged unless compensation is recovered.
Contact Foster Injury Law at 705-408-4438 or complete our online consultation form to discuss a serious Major Mackenzie Drive accident claim.
