For many Tri-City residents, the Labour Day long weekend means filling up coolers, packing the family in the car and heading to a favourite destination for the perfect end-of-summer-vacation celebration.
But as people hit the road, ICBC is warning road-trippers, campers and motorcyclists.
Every Labour Day long weekend, the insurance corporation says about five people die and more than 600 are injured in an average of 2,200 crashes across the province. On average, about two-thirds of those crashes occur in the Lower Mainland and involve around 440 people.
When it comes to some of the most vulnerable on the road, safety cuts both ways. As motorcycle traffic ramps up ahead of the fall weather, ICBC is reminding drivers of cars and trucks to leave three seconds of space when following a motorcycle.
“You can only see motorcycles when you really look for them, so make a game of it,” an ICBC spokesperson said in a press release. “Ask every passenger to guess how many motorcycles you'll see during the drive and then count them as you travel.”
Cyclists are equally vulnerable to thousands of kilograms of metal hurtling down streets. And with most collisions occurring during turns at an intersection, ICBC says it’s important to both shoulder check and make eye contact with cyclists to avoid giving them a right hook at a traffic signal. When passing a cyclist, give them a wide birth.
Larger vehicles like trucks and RVs often lead to more serious accidents because of their size and weight. That girth also creates larger blind spots and makes it more difficult for them to keep up with traffic flow when going up hills. The solution? Stay back and give these vehicles more space. If you can see their mirrors, they can see you.
Finally, road conditions can make a seemingly safe route to the park deadly. Check out drivebc.ca before you head out.
