ICBC credits B.C. drivers with 13% drop in death claims this year

VANCOUVER (Aug. 13, 1999) — Preliminary results from British Columbia’s provincial insurance agency suggest fewer motorists in the province are being killed as a result of road crashes.

Fewer death claims have been reported so far this year and the number of fatality claims reported last month was dramatically lower than in July 1998, according to the Insurance Corp. of B.C. (ICBC).

“As long as one person dies, the death toll is still too high on B.C. roads and highways,’ says ICBC President Thom Thompson. “But the fact that 17 fewer fatality claims were reported last month compared to July 1998 is still good news.”

Thompson pointed out the summer months are traditionally some of the most dangerous. “The combination of holidays and high-speed travel on highways means fatal collisions are usually at their peak.”

Last month, 22 death claims were reported compared to 39 in July 1998. For the first seven months of the year, there were 30 fewer fatality claims than last year (203 in 1999 vs. 233 in 1998).

Injury claims were also down more than 10% last month compared to
July 1998. The year-to-date injury claim total was 65,000, just slightly above
last year.

Total claims reported last month were 82,444, about 1600 fewer than in July 1998.
However, the seven-month claims total of 590,000, about 19,000 ahead of last
year at this time.