A new Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) survey shows that most drivers believe driving in the province has gotten worse in the last five years.
The survey, which was completed by Insights West, points at bad driving behaviours as one of the top contributors to B.C.’s road problems.
But, the survey also indicates that 99 per cent of all respondents considered themselves as good or maybe even excellent drivers.
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“We asked B.C. drivers how good of a driver are you, they all said that they’re great, that they’re excellent. We asked them if they would pass a test if they were to take it tomorrow and most of them said yes, they would pass it. We asked them five questions of the test and only 22 per cent got all of them right,” says Mario Canseco, vice president of public affairs for Insight West.
“So there are people out there thinking I could do this but when you look at the reality, it’s not quite there.”
ICBC has seen an increase in crashes in the last few years. In recent data released by the agency, crashes jumped by 23 per cent across the province in just three years — from 230,000 in 2013 to 320,000 in 2016 — an average of 875 crashes per day.
“Ultimately, our goal is to reduce the number crashes in B.C.,” said Mark Blucher, ICBC’s president and CEO in a release. ”
Not only do crashes impact lives and cause serious damage, they also translate into cost pressures that affect insurance rates for all B.C. drivers. We’re asking everyone to help by doing their part through our Drive Smart campaign.”
This campaign aims to encourage all drivers to reflect on their driving habits. It will focus on many critical components to being a safe driver: our knowledge of the rules of the road, how we behave behind the wheel, and our attitude toward our responsibility as a driver. It will include media advertisements, partnerships, public outreach and online resources, including an online quiz to help shine a light on areas where drivers may need improvement.
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“Ninety-six per cent of survey respondents were aware they have a critical role to play in improving the safety of our roads in B.C.,” Canseco said.
“This is a great starting point to open a dialogue with all drivers to take a look at their habits.”
Some respondents also admitted to being an aggressive driver (18 per cent), not following road rules while driving (32 per cent), and driving in an emotional state sometimes (99 per cent).
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