Partnership in road improvement projects leads to 24% reduction in severe crashes: ICBC

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia’s (ICBC) partnership in road improvement projects has led to a 24% reduction, on average, in severe crashes – those resulting in serious injuries and fatalities – and a 15% reduction in property damage only (PDO) claims after an improvement is completed, according to a recent evaluation report.

The 2015 Program Evaluation Report, released on Wednesday, analyzed crash data at 111 locations, three years before and after the road improvement projects were completed. Conducted by Dr. Tarek Sayed and Dr. Emanuele Sacchi from the University of British Columbia, it showed a “considerable reduction in collision frequency from the before to the after period.” Overall, the total reduction of severe and PDO collision frequency for urban intersections was found equal to -19.6% and -7.6%, respectively. For rural highway segments, severe collisions were reduced of -28.2% and PDO collisions of -22.5%, the report noted.

In addition, the change in collisions at the 72 treated urban intersections includes a reduction in PDO incidents in 59 of these intersections and a reduction in severe incidents in 69 out of 72 urban intersections. For the 39 treated rural highway segments, 38 out of 39 segments experienced a reduction in PDO incidents and all 39 sites experienced a reduction in severe incidents.

2015 Program Evaluation Report. Source: ICBC.

A press release from the ICBC noted that in 2015 alone, ICBC invested $7.9 million in 400 projects and studies across B.C. – 113 of which focused on pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements.

“We’ve been working together with ICBC and local governments on road improvement projects for two-and-a-half decades,” said Todd Stone, British Columbia’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, in the press release. “These projects have brought immediate benefits for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in communities across B.C. The evaluation results are evidence that the road improvement program is working.”