Newsroom
ICBC: Road safety speakers talking to Lower Mainland teens to prevent crashes this grad season
April 25, 2023
Novice drivers in B.C.'s graduated licensing program are 1.5 times more likely to crash than experienced drivers.* That's why road safety speakers are visiting Lower Mainland high schools to share their personal stories and connect with high school students to help them make safer driving choices ahead of graduation season.
In the Lower Mainland, 5,400 people are injured or killed in crashes involving teen drivers each year.**
Tiana Tozer is one of ICBC's road safety speakers visiting Lower Mainland schools. Tiana's life changed when she was injured in a crash with an impaired driver at 20 years old. She draws from her experience as a two-time USA Paralympic medalist and humanitarian worker in Iraq to motivate youth to make positive choices and become leaders.
“These presentations open up conversations with teens about situations they may face and support them in making smart choices for their future," said Shabnem Afzal, ICBC's director of road safety. “Car crashes have a devastating impact on our communities. Our road safety speaker tour is one way we're working to help youth develop strong decision-making skills, prevent crashes and save lives."
Media are invited to select speaker presentations in the Lower Mainland:
April 25, R.C. Palmer Secondary, Richmond, 8:30 a.m., with Tiana Tozer
May 11, Aldergrove Community Secondary, 9:30 a.m., with Ted Swan
May 17, Abbotsford Senior Secondary School, 9:30 a.m., with Ted Swan
May 18, Cariboo Hill Secondary, 12:45 p.m., with Markita Kaulius
May 26, Maple Ridge Christian School, 9:40 a.m., with Ted Swan
Please contact ICBC to confirm events 24 hours prior to attending, as dates and times are subject to change. Please check in at the school upon arrival.
Facts
Last year, ICBC launched a free driving simulation app, Street Sense, to help new drivers recognize and avoid hazards while driving in a safe, online environment.
The top contributing factors for youth in fatal crashes are speeding (36%), distracted driving (23%) and impaired driving (20%).
Young male drivers are involved in crashes almost three times more often than young female drivers, particularly when speed or impairment is involved.
19% of drivers speeding in crashes resulting in injury or death were 16 to 21 years old. Yet these young drivers make up only 6% of all licensed B.C. drivers.
*Experienced drivers defined as anyone over the age of 25 with at least 5 years of driving experience. Based on 2019 ICBC crash data.
**Police-reported data based on the five-year average from 2017 to 2021. Teen defined as age 16 to 19.
