ICBC, police team up for high-risk driving campaign

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), police forces and the B.C. government are launching a month-long campaign focusing on the failure to yield and other high-risk driving behaviour.

Every year, 1,300 pedestrians are injured or killed in crashes at intersections in B.C., according to an ICBC-reported five-year average from 2009 to 2013. Failing to yield the right-of-way – whether it is to other drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians or cyclists – is one of the leading causes of crashes that result in injuries or deaths in B.C, contributing to 43% of all such police-reported crashes in the province, the ICBC noted in a press release on Tuesday.

“Making a safe left-hand turn at an intersection can be difficult,” the ICBC said in the release. “We’re asking drivers to not let pedestrians be in their blind spot and to always be ready to yield to other vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists.”

Signs and traffic signals can often help determine who needs to yield to whom, as it may not always be easy to decide who has the right-of-way at intersections. “If in doubt, always be ready to give the right of way,” the ICBC advises.

High-risk driving in B.C. (ICBC)

Police across B.C. will be stepping up enforcement in May, targeting all high-risk driving behaviours, with Speed Watch volunteers set up in B.C. communities to encourage drivers to slow down. The campaign also includes new radio and interactive digital advertising and social media campaigns, the release said.

Suzanne Anton, the B.C. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, said in the release that “left hand turns present enormous risks for crashes between vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists because visibility and sight lines can be compromised in these situations.”

Added Lindsay Matthews, ICBC’s director responsible for road safety: “No one wants their actions to cause a tragedy so we’re asking drivers to always be ready to yield the right-of-way to other road users.”

ICBC, police & BC Govt launch #highriskdriving campaign #lookleftbc pic.twitter.com/w7101MBg5x

— ICBC (@icbc) May 5, 2015

Mock crash display set up by @icbc for their info campaign re: left turns @ intersections. @CKNW pic.twitter.com/cNisrwQ52u

— Jon Hall (@JHallReports) May 5, 2015