Every year, roughly 1,300 pedestrians are hurt or killed in crashes at B.C. intersections.
With that in mind, the provincial government, police and the Insurance Corporation of B.C. have launched a month-long campaign aimed at putting the brakes on preventable accidents.
All May, police will be cracking down on a number of high-risk driving behaviours, including running red lights and reckless left turns. ICBC road safety director Lindsay Matthews said motorists have to be mindful of how dangerous turning left can be for people on foot.
“We need to be alert and extra cautious as we approach and travel through those intersections,” Matthews said. “For drivers turning left, we’re asking you not to let pedestrians be your blind spot.”
Seven out of 10 pedestrians who are killed in intersections are struck by drivers turning left, according to ICBC. In each of those deaths, the victims had the right-of-way.
Matthews said between keeping track of oncoming cars, watching for cyclists, and minding pedestrians, turning left can be a real challenge, but the key is for drivers to take their time.
“We’re really asking drivers to stop, take that extra minute to make sure they’re seeing all the things that are happening around them before they make that turn,” she said.
Pedestrians also have to do their part by obeying traffic signals, Matthews added.
Apart from targeting dangerous left turns, police will be cracking down on excessive speeding, ignoring traffic lights, and following too closely behind other vehicles, all of which contribute to a staggering number of intersection accidents in the province.
ICBC statistics show that three out of every five crashes in B.C. take place in intersections, which amounts to an average of 226 intersection accidents per day.
“That’s nine every hour,” Matthews said. “That’s one almost every five minutes.”
For more information and tips on how to avoid high-risk driving, check out the ICBC website here.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Peter Grainger
