New convenient hours for ICBC customers — October 31

Driver services centres and claim centres extend hours

ICBC’s customers now have more choice as a number of driver licensing centres and claim centres are open longer hours.

“ICBC is listening to its customers to identify ways to improve its products and services,” said Bill Goble, ICBC Chief Operating Officer. “Our customers have told us they would like more options for when they can conduct business with ICBC and access our services outside their working hours.”

The driver licensing centres in Burnaby, Surrey, Victoria (McKenzie Ave) and Kelowna offer a range of driver licensing services including licence renewals, change of address, and knowledge testing during the new hours.

For claims customers, the Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey (Guildford), Vancouver (5th & Cambie), Victoria and Kelowna claim centres will also be open longer hours.

Any new claim should first be reported through ICBC’s 24-hour Dial-A-Claim service at 604-520-8222 (Greater Vancouver), 1-800-910-4222 (outside Greater Vancouver) or online at www.icbc.com.

New extended hours are in effect at these locations:

Driver Licensing Centres

Burnaby Driver Licensing Centre 3880 Lougheed Highway	Monday – Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Wednesday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Surrey Driver Licensing Centre 13426 - 78th Avenue	Monday – Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Wednesday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Victoria Driver Licensing Centre #1 - 1150 McKenzie Avenue	Monday – Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Wednesday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Kelowna Driver Licensing Centre 1720 Springfield Road	Monday – Tuesday, 7:00 a.m.– 7:30 p.m. Wednesday – Thursday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Road tests will continue to be available from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. The Surrey Driver Licensing Centre offers slightly longer hours Wednesday – Friday, starting their road tests at 7:30 a.m.

Claim Centres

Coquitlam Claim Centre 100 Blue Mountain Street	Monday - Thursday, 7:00 am - 7:30 pm. Friday, 7:00 am - 4:30 pm
Richmond Claim Centre 7200 Elmbridge Way	Monday - Thursday, 7:00 am - 7:30 pm. Friday, 7:00 am - 4:30 pm
Surrey Claim Centre 10262 - 152A Street	Monday - Thursday, 7:00 am - 7:30 pm. Friday, 7:00 am - 4:30 pm
Vancouver Claim Centre (5th and Cambie) 456 West 5th Avenue	Monday - Thursday, 7:00 am - 7:30 pm. Friday, 7:00 am - 4:30 pm
Victoria Claim Centre 425 Dunedin Street	Monday - Thursday, 7:00 am - 7:30 pm. Friday, 7:00 am - 4:30 pm
Kelowna Claim Centre 1720 Springfield Road	Monday – Tuesday, 7:00 a.m.– 7:30 p.m. Wednesday – Thursday, 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

ICBC is committed to meeting its customers’ needs and provides a large number of resources and services to provide quality service. Some of these include:

• 24-hour Dial-A-Claim service, 365 days a year. Claims may also be reported through www.icbc.com.
• A network of 40 claim centres throughout the province.
• Express Repair and Glass Express – after phoning in a claim, qualified customers go directly to their body or glass shop, bypassing the need to attend a claim centre.
• Driver services centres – 16 full-service driver services centres throughout BC and five Expressway centres.
• Over 900 brokers province-wide – a network of experienced, knowledgeable insurance experts to maximize customer satisfaction when purchasing or renewing insurance.
• Fairness process – customers have a number of avenues that they are encouraged to pursue if they aren’t satisfied with a decision.
• Claims process resources – ICBC’s website has a wealth of resources to help customers better understand the claims process and help them with the best possible results.
• ICBC c.a.r. shops – work done at ICBC-accredited repair shops is guaranteed and meets high standards for safety and quality.

For more information on ICBC’s new hours of service and other customer service resources visit www.icbc.com.

For more information contact:
Doug Henderson
Tel: (604) 982-1332 or (604) 786-2579

ICBC program gets results, stop sign study confirms — October 31

ICBC working with cities to calm residential streets

A simple measure taken by ICBC and the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby is showing tremendous results in terms of road safety on some residential streets.

The program, called “stop sign infill,” consists of installing stop signs alternately at every second intersection in residential neighbourhoods. The goal is to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions in residential neighbourhoods, and to produce a traffic calming effect in neighbourhoods by discouraging motorists from using side streets as short cuts.

Two civil engineering experts completed an evaluation of the project earlier this year. They examined 133 intersections in Vancouver that had been part of the infill project, comparing them with the same number of similar but unmarked intersections. Their evaluation indicated that injury collisions were reduced by 50 to 80 per cent and collisions overall went down by 40 to 60 per cent following this type of stop sign installation.

“Many different circumstances can lead to a change in the number of collisions, but in this case we’re satisfied that the stop sign installation was the significant factor in these results,” said John Pump, ICBC manager of the Road Improvement Program.

“ICBC invests in road improvements and design because preventing crashes means low and stable rates for our customers,” said Pump.

Sylvia Kirk of the City of Vancouver Engineering Services Department said that frequent requests from residents for increased traffic control have made the stop sign infill program a popular initiative. “Stop sign infills have been in high demand throughout the City and we are committed to improving traffic conditions for local residents.”

Stop signs were installed at approximately 1,450 residential intersections in Vancouver and Burnaby between 1998 and 2003 in a joint project between ICBC and road authorities in those cities.

ICBC’s Road Improvement Program works with communities to help them consider safety issues in the planning stage of roadways and buildings; takes on engineering and education efforts to help communities manage traffic and roadways as safely as possible; and finds and tests new ways to prevent crashes.

In 2004, ICBC contributed $6 million to road improvement projects throughout the province, with additional funding provided by provincial and local road authorities.

For more information contact:
Doug Henderson
Tel: (604) 982-1332 or (604) 786-2579

Shorter days add to danger for trick-or-treaters — October 26

Drivers and pedestrians urged to pay extra attention

With the end of daylight savings, poorer weather and Halloween taking place this last week of October, extra care and attention are essential.

“Motorists and pedestrians should always be careful but October can be an exceptionally dangerous month,” said Laurie Baker, ICBC’s Manager of Road Safety. “It’s getting darker earlier, the roads can be slippery, the visibility poor, and, of course, on Halloween night the streets will be filled with some very excited children.”

In B.C. in 2004, the number of pedestrian-related crashes in October increased to 212 from 153 in September. Six pedestrians were killed in October last year— double the number in September— and 217 pedestrians were injured, up by 58 from the previous month.

This is the last week for the Community Crash Reduction Challenge and Zero Crash Month. Communities and individuals are being asked to brush up on their safe driving tips -- and put them into practice. There’s still time to take the safe driving pledge and win some great prizes. Log onto www.zerocrashmonth.com for details.

November, December and January are also dangerous months for motorist and pedestrians. “Think about safety and plan ahead,” said Baker. “Drivers and pedestrians can do their part to help make every month Zero Crash Month.”

This Halloween, motorists should:

• Be alert and use caution. Watch for excited youngsters who may dart out into traffic from between parked cars.
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
• Slow down, especially in residential neighbourhoods and school and playground areas.
• Be patient when children are crossing the street. Costumes could impair their ability to get out of the way quickly.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
• If you are dropping children off, make sure they exit on the curbside, away from traffic.

Trick-or-treaters should:

• Wear light-coloured costumes and reflective tape on costumes, bikes and skateboards to help ensure that motorists can see you
• Carry a flashlight.
• Remain on well-lit streets and to always use the sidewalk. Walk, don’t run, from house to house.
• Complete your trick-or-treating calls at houses on one side of the street before crossing to the other side.
• Cross only at intersections and corners, not in the middle of the block or between parked cars
• Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic if there are no sidewalks.

For community specific pedestrian-related crashes in October contact your local ICBC representative.

Additional Contacts:

• Vancouver Island – Lyall Woznesensky – 250-729-3540
• Greater Vancouver – Aman Kainth – 604-871-2313 (Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Squamish, West Van, North Van., Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Tri Cities, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge)
• Fraser Valley – Eric Green – 604-592-6419 (Richmond, Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Hope, Boston Bar)
• Okanagan – Kevin Irvine 250-979-4604 or 250-212-6050
• Kootnays – Andre Cabuch – 250-979-4622 or 250-212-5119
• Thompson/Kamloops – Ingrid Brakop - 250-828-3908 or 250-319-2251
• North – David Dickson – 250-392-0022

For more information contact:
Doug Henderson
Tel: (604) 982-1332 or (604) 786-2579

Drinking and driving still a big factor in crashes — October 19

Booze myths cloud driver decisions

Don’t use your next big meal out as an excuse to drink and drive, say the organizers of the Community Crash Reduction Challenge this October.

ICBC, along with the provincial government, the police, and communities and individuals across the province, are working together to help make October Zero Crash Month.

“There’s a myth out there that you won’t be impaired if you drink on a full stomach” warns Laurie Baker,ICBC’s Manager of Road Safety. “Driving after drinking and eating is just as deadly.”

Police-reported incidents indicate alcohol was a contributing factor in over 23 per cent of all fatal crashes in 2004, second only to speeding (33 per cent). Some 93 people were killed in alcohol-related collisions in 2004, down from 105 in 2003, and approximately 3,200 were injured, down from 3,300 in 2003.

October is Zero Crash Month. Registered communities that reduce their crash statistics by the largest percentage are eligible to win a road safety grant of $5,000 - $35,000. Individuals can also take a pledge to drive safely, and be eligible to win a grand prize of $35,000 towards the purchase of a new vehicle.

This month alone, an estimated 22,000 vehicle crashes are predicted to take place involving B.C. residents. Nearly 6,500 British Columbians will be injured in those crashes Thanks to the many individuals and communities participating in this year’s Challenge, these estimates should prove to be wrong.

According to Inspector Norm Gaumont, OIC “E” Division, RCMP Traffic Services, impaired driving remains a leading contributing factor in fatal collision in BC. “Getting drunk drivers off our roads is a priority for the police. If you choose to drink and drive your chances of getting caught have increased. We have new tools and expanded resources focusing on getting impaired drivers off our roads.”

Earlier this year the provincial government introduced tough new initiatives to reduce drinking and driving. These new measures include a mandatory assessment program for drivers convicted of drinking and driving and an ignition interlock system. The system requires a breath sample with zero alcohol in order for the vehicle to start.

Drinking and driving myths:

• Myth - Beer won’t affect my driving as much as other alcohol will.
• Fact - A glass of beer contains the same amount of alcohol as a glass or wine or an average cocktail.
• Myth - If I drink coffee, it will reduce the effects of alcohol.
• Fact - The only thing that reduces the effects of alcohol is time.
• Myth - Common drugs for cold, flu, allergies and nausea won’t affect my ability to drive.
• Fact - Many prescription medicines and over-the-counter drugs affect the skills necessary for driving, and may render you impaired under the Criminal Code. They can cause your attention to wander, slow your reaction time and make you drowsy. When combined with alcohol they can be even more dangerous. Read labels carefully and check with your doctor or pharmacist about specific drugs.

Before you head out for your next big meal, ask yourself if you expect to consume any alcoholic beverages. If you will, then don’t drive. Make plans in advance to get home safely. Choose a designated driver, arrange for a friend or family member to pick you up, or have money set aside for a cab.

For more information about Zero Crash Month, and to get involved in the Community Crash Reduction Challenge, visit http://www.zerocrashmonth.com/.

For more information contact:
Doug Henderson
Tel: (604) 982-1332 or (604) 786-2579

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