BC Coroner’s panel recommends automated speed monitoring, review of graduated licensing

VICTORIA (NEWS1130) – A BC Coroner’s panel is recommending the provincial government look into automated speed monitoring in order to reduce the number of deaths of young people on the road.

The panel looked at the reasons behind fatal crashes involving young people between 2004 and 2013 and found speed was a factor in 30 per cent of the cases.

Seventy-five per cent of those who were killed were male, 40 per cent were impaired and about one third were breaking the conditions of their licence.

The panel isn’t giving specifics on what an automated speed monitoring system here would involve, but says it would not mean the return of the photo radar program.

Panel Chair Michael Eglison says the “how” would be up to the Ministry of Justice, but there are ideas that could be taken from other places that already have automated speed monitoring.

“Aerial surveillance; things like time distance, where cars are tracked at one point and then at another point, and there’s averaging speed; static cameras for red lights,” he lists.

The report is also calling for a review of the province’s Graduated Licensing Program after the deaths of 106 young drivers.

It says most of the people who died in the time period it examined were between 17 and 18 years old. The report finds fewer young drivers have died in the province since the program was introduced in 1998, but input from teens is needed to implement safe driving practices.

Despite the drop in young driver deaths, motor vehicle incidents remain the leading cause of death in BC for youth between 15 and 18 years.

The report recommends increasing awareness about fatal crashes involving young drivers through enhanced data collection by the coroners service and ICBC.

The licensing program involves a learner’s stage when drivers who pass a knowledge test must display an “L” sign on their vehicle, followed by a road test that leads to the novice stage and an “N” sign on vehicles.