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December 2009 news releases

ICBC news releases

ICBC's top five tips for a safe holiday season — December 15
Mount Currie resident wins smart car — December 11
Drive smart in winter conditions — December 10
Drive smart, not drunk, this holiday season — December 4

Provincial Government news releases

Final countdown to cellphone ban while driving — December 21

ICBC's top five tips for a safe holiday season

'Tis the season for good cheer, but December has already bought its share of snow and rain, along with an increase in crashes on B.C.'s roads and highways.

In the hope that everyone enjoys a safe holiday season, ICBC offers these top five tips:

No. 1 – Prepare your vehicle: Winter in B.C. always means mixed weather conditions – heavy rain, sleet, fog… and if last winter was anything to go by, substantial snowfall.. It's vital to adequately prepare your vehicle for a range of conditions, especially if you'll be travelling to different parts of our province over the holiday season. One of the most important tips is to make sure you've got the right tires and they are in good condition. Winter tires are a must if you are planning to drive in snow or icy conditions. Put a toonie between the tread on your tire. If the tread doesn't reach the gold centre of the toonie, it's time to think about getting new tires.

No. 2 – Protect your vehicle: Auto thieves always look for an easy target – and there can be lots of those around over the holiday season. While it's always best to take your possessions with you, that's not always possible. If you're using your vehicle to do the holiday shopping for the whole family, remember to remove any gifts from sight by securing them in your trunk. If you're shopping and take gifts back to your car before heading back to shop some more, then consider moving your car to a different location.

No. 3 – Get a smart last-minute gift: While we're thinking vehicle protection, why not treat a family member or friend to a great holiday gift that's also practical too – steering wheel locks are cheap to purchase and are a great visual deterrent for any auto thief. For more sophisticated auto crime protection, consider an immobilizer – the best way to prevent your vehicle from being stolen on any pre-2007 passenger vehicle (all passenger vehicles since then have immobilizers as standard equipment). A good standard immobilizer can be picked up and installed for as little as $160 and will make any vehicle virtually impossible to steal. ICBC customers who have a passive electronic immobilizer installed receive a discount on their comprehensive coverage and can receive a $100 rebate on their deductible at the time of any theft or attempted theft.

No. 4 – Be a role model: While you're busy rushing around making those last-minute holiday plans, remember to start getting into the habit of letting any calls to your cellphone go to your voicemail while you're driving. As of January 1, no handheld communications devices will be allowed behind the wheel. This is a great chance to act as a role model to your passengers, especially if you have children who are nearing the legal driving age.

No. 5 – Plan a safe and smart party: December is CounterAttack season in B.C., so help make B.C.'s roads safer by providing your guests with a safe ride home – encourage the use of transit, designated drivers, have taxi numbers on hand, or call Operation Red Nose at 1-877-604-NOSE. It's also possible to have a lot of fun without alcohol– a hot apple cider, a smooth and creamy Kootenay Koffee or a tart and tingling Lemon Fizz are fun and easy-to-make mocktails treats. For these quick and simple recipes go to:

http://www.icbc.com/road-safety/safer-drivers/drinking-driving/mocktails

Media Contact:
Adam Grossman
604-982-1332

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Mount Currie resident wins smart car  

For Alma Peters of Mount Currie, Christmas came early this year.

When she heard she'd won the grand prize in ICBC's Drive Smart Save Green contest — a 2009 smart fortwo coupe — she couldn't believe it.

"A co-worker from Squamish recently took me for a ride in hers and I loved it," Alma said. "I said I want one of these!"

From June 1 to October 31, customers who took the dirty drivers' test were entered to win a smart car. Forty-thousand customers entered the contest by taking an online test that included 12 questions on driving efficiency, vehicle maintenance, and smart-driving habits. After completing the test, customers were given helpful tips on how to be a better driver and respect the environment.

"Our goal was to get our customers to think about their driving behaviour so they understand there's a connection between the way they drive, saving gas and the environment," said ICBC's Jeff Schulz, vice president, strategic marketing.

Alma plans to store the economical smart car until the spring. It will eventually replace the 1993 Buick that she now drives.

"It's going to save us a lot of money in gas," she said, "especially when we commute to Vancouver which is about a four-hour drive. We're really going to appreciate having a smart car."

To learn more about the Drive Smart Save Green campaign, visit drivesmartsavegreen.com.

Media Contact:
Cindy Kralj
604-315-1430

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Drive smart in winter conditions

ICBC is committed to customers and open during the holiday season

With the first snowfall in the forecast for the Lower Mainland, ICBC wants to remind all drivers to prepare for winter driving conditions and be extra cautious.

December is traditionally the time of year that sees the most crashes, many of which are preventable by preparing your vehicle, planning ahead and driving smart.

Be cautious of the winter hazards - snow covered roads and black ice. When the snow begins to melt, the potential hazards will include standing water, flooded areas, potholes and even black ice if temperatures remain low. For all of these types of winter hazards, drivers need to remember the same two key tips – reduce your speed and increase your following distance. The more time you have to react to any hazard the better. And of course, expect delays and get in the habit of checking road conditions at drivebc.ca before heading out, especially for possible road and highway closures.

ICBC recommends having the 'At the scene of a crash' claims card in your vehicle. Experiencing a crash can be frightening and stressful, and these cards are designed to help customers remember all the vital information they need to gather in order to make a claim. The cards are available from local Autoplan brokers, ICBC Claim Centres or can be downloaded from icbc.com.

In the event severe winter road conditions lead to higher-than normal call volumes for ICBC's Dial-A-Claim call centre, ICBC asks customers to be patient and suggests having the following information ready:

If you are involved in a crash, ICBC is committed to providing a hassle-free experience and will be open to assist customers throughout the holiday season. Customers in the Lower Mainland can reach Dial-a-Claim by calling 604-520-8222. Those who are elsewhere in BC can dial 1-800-910-4222, and those outside of BC can call 1-800-910-4222.

For more information, please visit icbc.com and click on "Report a Claim."

Media Contact:
Adam Grossman
604-982-1332

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Drive smart, not drunk, this holiday season

CounterAttack roadchecks on now

The province, ICBC and police are reminding drivers to drive smart and find an alternative way home if they'll be out drinking this holiday season.

Tonight, Solicitor General Kash Heed launched the annual CounterAttack campaign with ICBC and police at roadchecks near Canlan Ice Sports in Burnaby, one of the many sports facilities partnering with ICBC to curb drinking and driving.

"Every single year people are needlessly injured or killed because someone made a bad choice," said Solicitor General Kash Heed. "Impaired driving is against the law and excuses from those who would put lives at risk will not be tolerated."

On average, 3,000 people are injured and 116 people die in 5,100 alcohol-related crashes each year.*

At the launch event, Dr. Roy Purssell, an emergency physician at Vancouver General Hospital, addressed the serious consequences of mixing alcohol and driving. "Studies have shown that significant impairment occurs when you have a blood alcohol concentration of .02 (a quarter of the legal driving limit). And when a driver has a BAC between .10 and .14, he's 48 times more likely to cause a fatal crash than a sober driver. Crash survivors may spend months in the hospital recovering from serious injuries or be left with a permanent disability."

"Making a smart choice by choosing a designated driver, taking transit, calling a cab or Operation Red Nose or spending a night at a friend's house are all easy alternatives to driving home drunk," added Nicolas Jimenez, ICBC's road safety director.

In addition to TV advertising, ICBC is partnering with businesses and sports facilities to raise awareness about drinking and driving. ICBC also supports Operation Red Nose (operationnezrouge.com), a volunteer service in 17 communities across B.C. that provide safe rides home to all motorists who have been drinking or feel unfit to drive during the holiday season. On average, alcohol-related collisions cost ICBC and drivers more than $140 million in claims costs every year.**

During December, police across the province will be out in full force checking for drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs. Impaired drivers stopped at roadchecks or elsewhere face a range of penalties from 24-hour prohibitions and vehicle impoundments, 90-day administrative driving prohibitions to criminal charges, fines and jail time. In addition, drivers who have one or more driving-related criminal convictions or two or more roadside suspensions as of January 1, 2008 or later will pay ICBC a Driver Risk Premium, in addition to their insurance premiums.

"It's a myth that police are just trying to fill a quota — we're out enforcing against impaired driving now and all year round because we're committed to saving more lives from this preventable and tragic cause of death," said RCMP Superintendent Norm Gaumont.

All convicted drinking drivers and those who receive multiple driving prohibitions are required to have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicles, which prevents them from starting or continuing to drive if they've been drinking. Program evaluations have found up to a 90 per cent reduction in repeat drinking and driving when the device is installed. This is in addition to longer prohibitions and mandatory alcohol rehabilitation.

Drivers are reminded of these safety tips tips:

Visit icbc.com for more information and tips. For more information about the ignition interlock program or the Responsible Driver Program, visit the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles website at pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/.

*Annual averages from 2004-2008 police-reported data. The fatality count is an annual average from 2003-2007 police data since 2008 counts aren't available for release yet.

Media Contact:
Kim Thé
604-842-5023

Kathy Taylor
604-982-2480

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Provincial Government News

BC Government logo

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

December 21, 2009

FINAL COUNTDOWN TO CELLPHONE BAN WHILE DRIVING

VANCOUVER – B.C. drivers have just 11 days to change their driving behaviours and comply with new cellphone rules to enhance road safety in the province, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Kash Heed said today.

"Making B.C. roads safer was an easy call," said Heed. "Now, we're asking the public to get on board and abide by the new rules. To help raise awareness for drivers, we are rolling out a public education campaign in conjunction with police enforcement of this law to reduce distracted driving across the province." Heed also noted that in the new year, highway signs warning motorists not to drive using hand-held devices will also begin to appear along B.C. roads at major international border crossings and airports.

An informal 30-minute survey by ICBC of motorists at the intersection on Denman and Georgia streets last week during the morning commute found 116 motorists talking or texting while driving.

Heed kicked off the countdown to new distracted driving rules at the same intersection today. He was joined by Vancouver Police chief constable Jim Chu and Gordon Hogg, MLA for South Surrey-White Rock.

Under changes to the Motor Vehicle Act introduced by government last fall that take effect on Jan. 1, 2010, drivers will be allowed to use only hands-free cellphones and devices that require only one touch to activate. As of Feb. 1, a driver talking on a hand-held phone or electronic device will be subject to a fine of $167. In addition, drivers caught texting or emailing will be subject to three penalty points.

For new drivers in the Graduated Licensing Program (GLP), there will be a full ban on all cellphone and electronic devices, including hands-free. A recently released report entitled 'Teens and Distracted Driving' by Washington D.C.-based Pew Research found that of those teens 16 to 17 years of age who own a cell phone or text regularly, more than half have talked on a cellphone while driving, and one in three has texted while driving.

"Police chiefs in British Columbia support the new rules," said Chu. "This legislation provides Vancouver police with a valuable tool to improve road safety and better protect everyone on our streets. Since driving is a full-time activity, distracted and inattentive drivers will be subject to both education and enforcement by the VPD in our efforts to improve safety for all road users."

To abide by the new law, licensed drivers can use hands-free technology that is activated by a single touch to a button or, when it is safe to do so, pull over and stop their vehicle before they talk or email.

Police, fire and ambulance personnel who may need to make calls in the performance of their duties, and motorists who need to call 9-1-1 are exempt from the legislation. The use of two-way radios for commercial or industrial vehicles will be permitted.

Details on what is permitted and what is prohibited under the legislation is at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/publications/index.htm.

Media Contacts:
Public Affairs Bureau
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250-356-6961

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Driving Tips