ICBC urges caution as B.C. Day long weekend brings more crashes

July 28, 2021

Whether you'll be travelling this B.C. Day long weekend for a getaway or staying local, ICBC is urging drivers to share the road safely as our roadways will be much busier than usual.

Every B.C. Day long weekend, on average, three people are killed and 600 people are injured in 2,100 crashes throughout the province.*

Across the province, police are cracking down on impaired drivers as part of this month's enforcement and education campaign.

If you're taking a road trip, here are five tips to help you stay safe on your drive:

1. If you're away from home, you may not be familiar with all the options available to get home safely after you've had a few drinks. Check your options such as taxis, ride hailing, transit or shuttle services before you head out. Set up relevant apps ahead of time on your cell phone so you can relax knowing you have a plan to get home safely.

2. Most crashes on B.C. Day long weekend occur on Friday so plan to leave on Thursday or Saturday morning if possible to avoid traffic congestion and possible delays. If you do end up delayed, don't rush to make up time – slow down to reduce your risk of crashing. Plan your route on drivebc.ca and include rest breaks or switch drivers every two hours to avoid getting fatigued behind the wheel.

3. Do a pre-trip check and check your engine oil, coolant levels and lights, and inspect your vehicle tires, including the spare, to make sure they're in good condition and properly inflated. Make sure any camping or outdoor equipment is securely tied down to your vehicle before you take off.

4. Summer means more motorcyclists on our roads so it's vital to scan as you approach an intersection. Be ready to yield the right-of-way when turning left and keep in mind that it can be hard to tell how fast motorcyclists are travelling.

5. Be patient with R.V. drivers if they're travelling below the speed limit in mountainous areas as they're likely going uphill as fast as they can. If you're driving your R.V. this weekend, be courteous and pull over when it's safe to do so to let others by. This is much safer than a driver making an unsafe pass out of frustration.

Regional statistics*:

• Over the B.C. Day long weekend, on average, one person is killed and 400 people are injured in 1,300 crashes in the Lower Mainland every year.

• Over the B.C. Day long weekend, on average, 97 people are injured in 380 crashes in the Southern Interior every year.

• Over the B.C. Day long weekend, on average, 27 people are injured in 130 crashes in North Central B.C. every year.

• Over the B.C. Day long weekend, on average, 65 people are injured in 300 crashes on Vancouver Island every year.​​​​

*Five year annual average. Crash and injury data is ICBC data (2016 to 2020). Fatality data is police data (2015 to 2019). B.C. Day long weekend is calculated from 18:00 the Friday prior to B.C. Day to midnight on B.C. Day.