Road safety
Investing in road improvements
Why do we spend money on roads? Fewer crashes mean fewer injuries and wrecked cars—and fewer insurance claims.
Since 1990, we’ve invested approximately $225 million in over 8,300 road improvement projects across B.C., and we're committed to continuing to making roads safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
The most recent evaluation 
concluded that, over three years, our road improvement program led to:
A 24 per cent average reduction in crashes that led to injuries and fatalities
A 15 per cent average reduction in crashes that led to property damage
69 out of 72 urban intersections seeing a reduction in severe incidents
All 39 rural intersections seeing a reduction in such incidents
The evaluation also concluded that every $1 spent on road improvements across B.C. resulted in an average of $4.70 in savings.
Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) installed near school crosswalks in Oak Bay (left) and Parksville (right). When activated by pedestrian movement or a push button, RRFBs emit a high-intensity flashing light to drivers on both sides of a crosswalk.
A community effort
We work with a variety of stakeholders and experts on road improvements, including engineers, municipalities around the province and the Ministry of Transportation.
We also consult with other road safety experts on technologies and initiatives that can prevent crashes, including:
Anti-skid treatments that reduce crash frequency
Roundabouts that improve traffic flow and reduce crashes
Traffic signal and road sign upgrades
Installation of Uninterrupted Power Supply systems, which ensure traffic signals work during power outages
Rumble strips on roads with a history of centre-line crossovers and off-road incidents
Studies and audits that help maintain and improve road safety
As new tools and technologies aim to make roads even safer, we aim to study — and where appropriate, implement — emerging improvements that show promising benefits for road safety in B.C.
Fix a dangerous road in your community
If you have a suggestion for how to make a road or intersection in your community safer, you can contact your local municipality or send us your feedback.
