Winter is quickly approaching and that means longer nights and more dangerous road conditions.
In preparation, ICBC, government, and police are launching a pedestrian safety campaign across the province.
“It’s a reminder to those out on the road to make sure they are well-equipped,” explains ICBC Spokesperson Doug MacDonald.
“They’re not only prepared for the weather we’re having but also make sure they’re wearing a jacket, a vest, a reflector of some sort.”
This comes following a new ICBC survey that shows nine in 10 drivers worry about hitting a pedestrian at night and in wet weather.
Similarly, eight in 10 pedestrians do not feel safe in those conditions.
“Distracted driving and failing to yield the right-of-way remain the top contributing factors for drivers in crashes involving pedestrians,” says Chief Constable Neil Dubord, Chair of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety Committee.
“These are dangerous driving behaviours which will not be tolerated by police.”
43% of all crashes that injure pedestrians happen between October and January.
“It’s because we see a change in seasons,” MacDonald explains.
“You see these sort of things happen and it’s kind of like a reminder to ourselves we have to adjust our driving habits and make sure we’re looking for vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians.”
On average in Northern BC, there are 35 crashes at intersections that involve a pedestrian every year.
An alarming 43% of crashes w/pedestrians occur Oct – Jan in BC. Be extra cautious and #KnowYourPartBC to drive smart https://t.co/wsgV0yZs8D pic.twitter.com/RsN0e9dIB1
— ICBC (@icbc) October 11, 2017