Significant drop in auto crime since 2016 according to ICBC report

ICBC has released a new report surrounding vehicle data in BC, suggesting significant changes in vehicle trends in the province over the last decade.

The report, which analyses data dating back to 2016, compares several factors, including auto crime, trends in electric and hybrid vehicle registrations as well as crash and crash injury numbers.

According to the new data, cases of auto crime have seen a significant decrease over the last 10 years.

ICBC says that instances of auto crime have come way down since 2016, seeing a 30% decrease overall during that time.

The number of vehicle break-ins has also dropped substantially, falling by 60%, with a steep decline in the number of claims starting in 2023.

The number of stolen cars has also fallen, with incidents dropping by 46%.

Vandalism claims have remained relatively stable since 2016, but have also dropped slightly, from 18,865 in 2016 to 17,414 in 2025.

The data also revealed several other trends, including a rise in the popularity of hybrid vehicles.

The number of new hybrid vehicle registrations over the 10-year period has grown significantly, from 822 in 2016 to 51,627 in 2025. These numbers now outpace electric vehicles, which saw 22,784 new registrations last year.

Gas vehicles remain the most common type of vehicle in the province and the registration numbers have also risen since 2016, but have seen a drop-off since their peak of 169,485 in 2019. Last year, 127,193 gas vehicles were registered with ICBC.

The number of vehicle crashes has also declined since a peak in 2017. They have risen since a low seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but remain 3% lower than pre-pandemic highs.

The number of injuries due to crashes were 21% lower in 2025 than the 2016-2019 average.

ICBC says that despite steady growth in the number of cars on the roads, these low crash numbers reflect lasting changes in driving patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of the Enhanced Care initiative in May 2021.

For more information and the full data, visit ICBC’s website here.