ICBC warns: long weekend brings more crashes

May 16, 2018

As drivers hit the road this Victoria Day long weekend, police will be conducting a province-wide enforcement blitz to target high-risk driving behaviours to keep B.C. roads safe as part of a .

High-risk driving behaviours, like speeding, increase your risk of crashing. That's why ICBC, police and Speed Watch volunteers are urging drivers to slow down. We all have a part to play in keeping our roads safe—if we want everyone else to drive smart, we first need to start with ourselves.

Over the Victoria Day long weekend, 490 people were injured in 1,900 crashes in B.C. in 2016. On average, two people are killed every year over the weekend.*

ICBC's top five tips:

• Plan your route and check road conditions at drivebc.ca before you leave.

• Be realistic about travel times and accept delays that may arise. Don't rush to make up time – slow down to reduce your risk of crashing and arrive at your destination safely. You also save fuel by driving at a safe and steady speed.

• Don't speed up as someone is trying to pass you. Help the other driver get back into your lane by slowing down and making room.

• Stay focused and avoid distractions that take your mind off driving and your eyes off the road. Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of crashes so remember to take a break from your phone.

• With more motorcyclists on our roads now, allow at least three seconds following distance when you're behind a motorcycle. At intersections, the safest choice is to yield the right-of-way to an oncoming rider as it can be hard to tell how fast they're travelling. Remember, you only see motorcycles when you really look for them.

Regional statistics*:

• Over the Victoria Day long weekend, 330 people were injured in 1,200 crashes throughout the Lower Mainland in 2016.

• Over the Victoria Day long weekend, 52 people were injured in 290 crashes throughout the Vancouver Island in 2016.

• Over the Victoria Day long weekend, 69 people were injured in 270 crashes throughout the Southern Interior in 2016.

• Over the Victoria Day long weekend, 38 people were injured in 140 crashes throughout the North Central region in 2016.

*Victoria Day long weekend is calculated from 18:00 the Friday prior to Victoria Day to midnight Monday. Injured victims and crashes from 2016 ICBC data. Fatal data based on five year average from police data (2011 to 2015).

Media contact:

Lindsay Olsen
604-982-4759