ICBC urges caution behind the wheel over the holidays

T’is the season to be caught up in the holiday hustle, whether it be last minute shopping or hitting the road to get out of town.

But insurance company ICBC is urging drivers to slow down and make sure they’re thoroughly prepared while hitting the roads this season.

According to ICBC, more accidents occur in B.C. in December than in any other month.

This sobering statistic includes an average of 457 injuries and two fatalities resulting from over 1,770 crashes during the winter holidays. Notably, between Dec. 24 and Dec. 26, an annual average of two fatalities and 288 injuries occur as a result of 1,187 motor vehicle accidents.

“We know there are a lot more people on the roads, people are traveling to see relatives, and often what we see is higher speeds,” said Shabnem Afzal, road safety director at ICBC.

“There are also many pedestrians on the roads, cyclists, and it’s dark, there’s low visibility and (drivers) often aren’t seeing pedestrians or cyclists at crosswalks.”

Offering some tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe, Afzal strongly emphasized the importance of not using your phone and not driving above the speed limit.

“You’re not supposed to look at the phone while driving, and there’s a good reason for that. It’s one of the leading causes of crashes,” he said.

“Put your phone into the glove box if possible, and don’t look at anything (but) the road.”

As the calendar turns towards a new year, ICBC emphasizes that on average, 169 people sustain injuries as a result of 585 crashes between Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

To prepare for challenging winter driving conditions, ICBC says there are a few essential safety tips everyone should follow, such as installing winter tires. Winter tires should be adorned with either a mountain symbol, snowflake symbol, or the mud and snow (M+S) designation, and are mandatory for all highway travelers in the province, with some exceptions in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.

Basic preparations, such as topping up wiper fluid and assembling an emergency kit with essentials like blankets, warm clothing, food, and water, are also strongly advised. ICBC notes road conditions, closures, and other critical information can be monitored through DriveBC.

The company emphasizes that small driving adjustments can yield significant impacts, and advocates for speed management and heightened attentiveness while on the road. Maintaining a safe distance between vehicles, particularly on wet, icy, or snowy roads, is crucial for safety, it adds.

On extended journeys, ICBC recommends utilizing highway rest stops to rest, stretch, inspect your vehicle, and check your cellphone. Within city limits, ICBC says extra caution should be used in parking lots, where pedestrians and cyclists could appear in low-light conditions.

Finally, for those partaking in Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities, ICBC encourages planning ahead and arranging a safe way home, by engaging services like Operation Red Nose, where available.

Driving safe this holiday season

Hiring a designated driver to drive you and your car home from a Christmas party is another safe option available to Metro Vancouver residents.

“This week is super busy — people are doing last-minute gatherings, functions, work parties — and people like to drink more this time of year, but they need a safe way home with their vehicle,” said Rachel Nordin, owner and operator of MyDDride.

Nordin says companies like hers will let you book a driver to drive you and your passenger home in your own vehicle if you drove to an event and are unable to drive home. She says drivers will also stop on the way to get you some grub if needed.

“We’re saving lives,” she said. “We’re like super heroes, and it’s nice to know that we are getting people home safe at the end of the day, no matter what.”

Nordin reminds people that drinking or taking recreational drugs and driving is just not worth the risk.

“You can hurt yourself, hurt someone else, you can damage your vehicle, you can be caught and faced with huge fines and lose your licence,” she said. “But most of all, you endanger others’ (lives) on the road as well as your own.”