Thursday, March 28, 2024

Victoria Day long weekend typically sees roughly 480 people injured in crashes: ICBC

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The May long weekend is here, and summer is around the corner.

But with the holiday comes more people on the roads and on the water, meaning more collisions—even deaths.

On average, three people are killed on BC roads every year on this weekend and about 480 people are injured in 1,800 crashes over Victoria Day long weekend.

ICBC and police are hoping to bring this number down to zero, kicking off a province-wide enforcement blitz to target speeders as part of a month-long campaign.

Police have been targeting speeding drivers during May. Speed Watch volunteers will also be set up in communities across BC to remind drivers of the speed they’re travelling.

“Road safety is a responsibility that we all share,” said Chief Superintendent Holly Turton, Vice-Chair of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety Committee.

“When drivers make good choices to not engage in high risk driving behaviours such as speeding, they are doing their part to make our roads safer together.”

On Vancouver Island specifically, on average, 62 people are injured in 270 crashes over the long weekend.

Last month, dashcam footage showed two vehicles speeding northbound on the Pat Bay Highway when one of the drivers sped past a vehicle using the shoulder.

Speeding remains the leading cause of car crash fatalities in BC with eight people, on average, killed in crashes involving speed every month from May through September.

ICBC said the faster people drive, the more time and power the vehicle needs to stop.

“We need everyone to do their part to shift the culture around dangerous and high-risk driving behaviours,” said Lindsay Matthews, ICBC’s Vice-President Customer Experience & Public Affairs.

“Reducing your speed gives you more time to react and helps ensure that everyone on the road arrives at their destination safely.”

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Victoria Buzz Staffhttps://www.victoriabuzz.com
Your inside source for Greater Victoria happenings. Established in 2012.

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