According to data provided by ICBC, historically, the number of people who are killed or injured because of fatigued drivers increases by 58% in July and August compared to the rest of the year.
Police in BC reported the average number of people to suffer death or injury from driver fatigue related crashes in July and August is 87.
This is compared to the average 55 people who are injured or killed each month during the remainder of the year.
ICBC says these incidents took place because one or more diver experiencing extreme fatigue and falling asleep at the wheel.
“As the BC Day long weekend approaches, ICBC is warning drivers that long drives and hot summer temperatures can be a dangerous combination leading to fatigue,” said ICBC in a media release.
“Fatigue can slow your reaction time and when driving at highway speeds, even a slight reduction in reaction time can significantly increase your risk of crashing.”
On average, over the BC Day long weekend two people are killed in motor vehicle incidents throughout the province. Additionally, the average number of injuries is 562 and the total number of crashes is 2,064.
On Vancouver Island specifically, the average injuries over BC Day long weekend are 67, which occur in 306 crashes every year.
ICBC says drivers should pay attention to their bodies. Some signs of driver-fatigue:
- Finding it difficult to stay within your lane.
- Driving speed creeps up or down.
- Don’t recall the previous few minutes of driving.
- Struggling to stay focused on the road or experiencing blurred vision.
- Feeling bored, yawning, or daydreaming.
- Eyes feel heavy or you have difficulty keeping your head up—if this happens, stop driving
- Notice any signs of fatigue, pull over in a safe place like a rest stop and take a nap.
Prior to driving, motorists should consider how much sleep they have gotten prior to travel, avoid driving at times when normally asleep and get a good seven to eight hour sleep before travel.
Further, drivers should understand the effects of their medications, in case drowsiness is a side-effect and motorists should take a break every two hours, while switching drivers when possible.
ICBC says that additionally, when wildfires are taking place and travel is delayed, this can increase the frequency of driver fatigue-related incidents. It’s best to plan ahead for these situations.
