What’s Going On on B.C. Roads?

Police continue to enforce distracted driving as they continue to issue more and more tickets yet the number of people dying from distracted driving continues to rise. This phenomenon is leaving police and regulators wondering what the heck is going on with drivers in British Columbia.

Crash numbers in the province of British Columbia continue to edge upwards despite increased fines for distracted driving. Since British Columbia enacted distracted driving legislation in 2010, fines collected have increased from $3 million in 2010 to $2.4 million in the first 3 months of 2016. It is expected that 2016 will see fines in the $10 million dollar range collected for 2016.

When the province first enacted the distracted driving legislation in 2010, distracted driving fatalities dropped by twenty percent. Unfortunately, that trend did not continue and in 2015, with 88 fatalities attributed to distracted driving.

Distracted Driving Fines Increased

British Columbia also increased their fines from $167 to $368 for a first-time offense yet drivers continue to miss the message and drive distracted. The epidemic of distracted drivers is a behavioural issue according to experts such as Young Drivers of Canada that needs to be changed and it’s not just using the cell phone. Drivers continue to eat and drink behind the wheel, change their radio and GPS technology and interact with their passengers resulting in crashes and even fatalities. ICBC in British Columbia will continue to work with legislative agencies to assess the numbers when it comes to distracted driving.