The Labour Day long weekend is one of the most dangerous on B.C. roads, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is warning.
An average of four people are killed and 560 injured in 1,900 crashes across the province over the three-day stretch each year, and in the North Central region the count is 21 injuries and 120 crashes, according to the province's automobile insurer
Driver distractions, speed and impaired driving are the top contributing factors.
"We want everyone heading out of town for the last long weekend of summer to make it home safely," ICBC road safety director John Dickinson. "Plan your route before you begin driving so you stay focused on the road.
"There will be many RVs and motorcyclists on our roads this weekend so keep your full attention on driving and help keep everyone safe."
Here are some tips for making the trip a safe one:
- Make sure any camping or outdoor equipment is securely tied down to your vehicle before you take off. Check your engine oil, coolant levels and lights, and inspect your vehicle tires, including the spare, to make sure they're in good condition and properly inflated.
- Pack an emergency kit with essentials such as food and water, a flashlight, first aid kit, booster cable and emergency signal cone.
- Assign a designated texter to make or receive calls and texts for the driver. If the driver needs to take a call, pull over when it's safe to do so or use hands-free mode. If you know someone is behind the wheel, avoid texting, calling or answering to help keep them safe.
- Be patient around RVs which may be driving below the speed limit particularly when going up hills. And if you're driving an RV this weekend, be courteous and pull over to let others by if you're holding up traffic. This is much safer than a driver making an unsafe pass out of frustration.
- Get plenty of rest, stay hydrated and take rest breaks every 1.5 to 2 hours to avoid driver fatigue. Fatigue slows your reaction time and even a slight decrease in reaction time can greatly increase your risk of crashing especially when travelling at highway speeds.
- Allow at least two seconds of following distance in good conditions, and at least three seconds on high-speed roads or if you're behind a motorcycle since it has a much shorter stopping distance.
