According to the latest ICBC figures released earlier this month, many drivers in BC have less than desirable driving habits.
Despite the results of a recent survey conducted by Insights West for ICBC that showed that 99 per cent of the British Columbians polled considered themselves good or excellent drivers, the poll results tell a different story. When given road test questions, almost eight in 10 got a least one answer wrong. A fifth admitted to being aggressive drivers, and a third confessed to disobeying the rules of the road in order to get somewhere faster.
Province-wide statistics also speak for themselves – the number of motor vehicle collisions in the province has increased 23 per cent from 260,000 to 320,000 between the years 2013 and 2016. That averages out to 876 vehicle collisions every day in BC!
As more and more vehicles travel our roads, it becomes increasingly important that everyone drives safely and that everyone drives smart. One of the most effective solutions to this province-wide problem lies in the hands of B.C. drivers themselves.
Drivers need to be properly educated in the rules of the road and be aware of developing bad driving habits before it’s too late.
There’s no doubt that behaviours like distracted driving contribute to the statistic and it cannot be emphasized enough – any activity that takes your focus away from driving is considered a distraction.
According to the Canadian Automobile Association, distracted drivers are more likely to be in a crash or near-collision event compared to non-distracted drivers.
As I’ve talked about in an earlier column, the term ‘distracted driving’ is not just limited to texting on your phone. Changing music, programming a GPS system, or tending to personal grooming all fall under the umbrella of distracted driving.
The Canadian Automobile Association reports that drivers talking on the phone are four to five times more likely to be in collision or near-collision events.
Drivers reaching for moving or falling objects increase that likelihood to nine times. For texting and driving, the likelihood of a collision or near-collision rises to 23 times more likely.
Another behaviour causing significantly increasing issues are aggressive driving and road rage. Twenty per cent of those surveyed in the ICBC report said they were guilty of aggressive driving. Things like speeding, cutting off other drivers and tailgating are exceedingly dangerous with more drivers in British Columbia. And, don’t get me started on those folks who hog the left lane, slowing down the flow of traffic and generating unsafe road rage in those behind them.
You may save a couple of minutes by driving aggressively, but are those couple of minutes really worth endangering your life and the lives of others sharing the road? Young drivers also pick up bad driving habits by watching older drivers engage in risky behaviour. Have a chat with your teen driver to properly define what constitutes as ‘bad driving’.
It’s clear that as a province, we need to change our driving habits and have a discussion with ourselves about the reality of our driving skills.
I highly encourage every driver to take advantage of ICBC’s online resources. Take some time to review the rules of the road and educate each other so that everyone stays safe.
Do you think you’re a good driver? Take ICBC’s new Drive Smart test to find out whether there are areas you can work on.
Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. You can email him at [email protected].
