With autumn’s annual time change taking place this weekend, ICBC is reminding motorists to be extra vigilant.
According to the insurance corporation, 43 per cent of all crashes in B.C. that involve pedestrians occur between October and January.
It also said that, on average, 2,346 pedestrians are injured every year, with 53 being killed. During that four-month span, that equates to an average of 1,008 pedestrians being injured and 22 being killed.
“Busy intersections and shorter days mean that drivers need to be extra careful during fall and winter,” said ICBC, adding that 78 per cent of crashes involving pedestrians occur at intersections.
In breaking down that 78 per cent provincial average, some regions have higher percentages than others.
- Lower Mainland: 82 per cent
- Vancouver Island: 72 per cent
- Southern Interior: 64 per cent
- North-Central: 61 per cent
“Whether it’s avoiding distractions or yielding the right-of-way,” said ICBC, “we all need to do our part to keep pedestrians safe.”
Below are tips from ICBC for drivers.
- focus on the road
- always leave your phone alone while driving
- look for pedestrians, especially when turning at intersections, crosswalks and near transit stops
- reduce your speed in areas with pedestrians
- be realistic about your travel time
- leave earlier to accommodate traffic and other unexpected holdups
- prepare your vehicle for bad weather
“Anytime there is an extreme change or big change, be it daylight or weather, there is usually some kind of spike in regard to requests for assistance,” said Josh Smythe, a BCAA spokesperson.
Below are tips from ICBC for pedestrians
- be careful at intersections
- watch for drivers turning left or right through the crosswalk
- drivers may be focused on oncoming traffic and not see you
- always use crosswalks and follow pedestrian signs and traffic signals.
- always cross at designated crosswalks
- scan your surroundings before crossing
- ensure it’s safe to cross and that traffic has come to a complete stop
- make eye contact with drivers
- never assume that a driver has seen you.
- remove your headphones and take a break from your phone while crossing the road
- wear reflectors to make it easier for drivers to see at dusk and at night
ICBC says the top contributing factors to crashes involving pedestrians are driver distraction, drivers failing to yield the right of way, and weather.