Vancouver, British Columbia — ICBC and police across the province are launching a month-long campaign focusing on speed and urging drivers to slow down.
“Those who chose to speed excessively, change lanes aggressively, tailgate, disobey traffic lights and signs are willingly putting themselves and the public at risk for serious injury or death. In May, police agencies and road safety partners across B.C. are using all available resources, including Intersection Safety Cameras and targeted approaches, to prevent deadly driving behaviours and remove high-risk drivers from our roads,” said Chief Constable Neil Dubord, Chair of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety Committee.
While British Columbians are asked not to travel outside their health authority in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19, drivers still need to be mindful of their speed, says ICBC.
Every year, 81 people are killed in speed-related crashes, making speed the number one cause of car crash fatalities in B.C., says ICBC.
Even small changes in speed can have a significant impact. An increase of just one km per hour in average speed increases the likelihood of a car crash resulting in injury by three percent.
Police will be targeting speeding and other high-risk driving behaviours during the month of May. Speed Watch volunteers will also be set up in B.C. communities to remind drivers of the speed they’re travelling.
The campaign includes new education digital advertising and social media, as well as enforcement radio ads.
“Speeding really doesn’t get you there any faster but increases your chances of crashing. When you slow down, you see more of the road and have more time to react to the unexpected. We can all do our part by slowing down to make our roads safer and save lives,” said Lindsay Matthews, ICBC’s Vice-President Public Affairs and Driver Licensing
For more information, visit icbc.com.
