On average, over the past ten years in B.C., 300 people per year have died in motor vehicle incidents, with almost 20 per cent of those incidents involving a heavy commercial vehicle.
That’s according to the Office of the Auditor General who has released a report on commercial vehicle safety.
Carol Bellringer said heavy commercial vehicles, like dump trucks, container trucks and semi-trailers, represent about 3 per cent of the vehicles registered in B.C., yet they are involved in 19 per cent of the fatal collisions in the province.
She said in the majority of fatal collisions involving a heavy commercial vehicle the commercial driver is not at fault.
Bellringer has a number of recommendations for government to prevent collisions with heavy truck traffic including establishing who is responsible for the promotion of commercial vehicle road safety education and awareness and reviewing the standards for commercial driver licensing.
