In recognition of National Volunteer Week, April 10 to 16, ICBC is thanking Prince George volunteers for their continued support in making our communities safer. In Prince George, approximately 28 volunteers work out of the local community policing office to help deliver road safety programs including Speed Watch, Lock Out Auto Crime and the Stolen Auto Recovery program.
"Prince George has an exceptional group of volunteers," said Shirley Bond, Prince George-Valemount MLA and Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. "We know that our community is a better place because of the countless hours they spend serving in a variety of areas, but certainly making sure our community is safe and welcoming for families is a high priority. I want to express my gratitude to the hardworking and dedicated volunteers who make a difference in Prince George and Northern British Columbia"
"The extraordinary dedication to road safety shown by these volunteers and community policing offices is remarkable and truly appreciated," said Jon Schubert, ICBC's president and CEO. "On behalf of all our customers and ICBC employees, thank you!"
In 2010, Speed Watch volunteers in Prince George contributed more than 60 hours to help reduce speed-related crashes in their community. With the support of volunteers, speed-related crashes have steadily decreased in B.C. over the last five years. Volunteers use radar and speed-reader boards supplied by ICBC to show drivers how fast they're actually traveling. Research shows that it works - more than 70 per cent of drivers traveling 10km/h over the speed limit slow down when they see a speed-reader board.
In 2010, Lock Out Auto Crime volunteers scanned approximately 400 licence plates to help identify stolen vehicles in Prince George as part of the Stolen Auto Recovery program. Each year, volunteers help to recover hundreds of stolen vehicles in B.C.
"These volunteers work tirelessly," said Diana Pozer, local ICBC road safety coordinator. "Many give up their Friday evenings to go out on a cold, rainy night to try to locate stolen vehicles. With their support, we've seen an astounding 65 per cent decrease in auto crime in B.C. since 2003."
Drop by your neighbourhood community policing office to see how you can get involved and help keep your community safe.
