New audit shows more needed to boost B.C. road safety

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) — Stronger standards and accountability are needed says the latest review by B.C.’s Auditor General, which found 20 per cent of fatal crashes over the past 10 years involved heavy commercial trucks.

Carol Bellringer says there’s no effective system in place to ensure compliance after someone fails a roadside inspection.

“Since December 2015, the ministry’s only pursued one cancellation and two suspensions since then, so an indicator of the kind of progressive discipline that should be put in place when there are deficiencies found.”

She also says clear responsibility needs to be established to promote road safety education and awareness because commercial drivers are not to blame for most crashes, so all drivers would benefit if more was done to promote awareness.

“Heavy commercial vehicles represent only about three per cent of vehicles registered in B.C., yet they’re involved in 19 per cent of fatal collisions. In the majority of those fatal collisions, the commercial driver is not at fault.”

Bellringer also wants commercial drivers to take specialized training.

“In B.C., drivers are not required to take specialized training to get their commercial licence. Europe has had mandatory training for commercial drivers for more than ten years. Ontario brought it in last year and Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta all have plans to do so soon.”

As part of this latest audit, Bellringer’s staff identified a model which assesses the impact of roadside inspection and enforcement activities on commercial vehicle safety.

She says that was used to analyze data collected over the past three years.

“Inspection and enforcement activities prevented an estimated 1,100 crashes including four fatalities and more than 260 injuries. This saved an estimated $130 million in social costs which includes lost working days, medical costs and around $18 million in ICBC insurance costs.”

Bellringer is suggesting the government use this type of data analysis to set clear targets and meet them.

The full report is available on the Office of the Auditor General website.

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