Despite only making up 3% of all registered vehicles in BC, a report from the BC Auditor General show's heavy commercial vehicles are over represented in fatal traffic collisions.
The report looked over the figures from the past 10 years, and shows that heavy commercial trucks, like dump trucks and semi-trucks, account for 20% of fatal collisions.
Carol Bellringer, BC's Auditor General, puts the numbers in perspective, saying "The heavy commercial vehicles are representing only about 3% of the vehicles registered in British Columbia, so it is a proportionately large percentage that are involved in those fatal collisions. I don't think anyone is particularly surprised by that, but what it is emphasizing is the need for everybody to be aware of those commercial vehicles when using the road, because it's not always the commercial driver who is at fault." She adds that weather and other drivers also attribute to the causes of the crashes.
Bellringer says the report also outlines recommendations for the Government to take to create safer drivers and cut back on collisions. She says those recommendations include looking into licensing, education and awareness, and consistent monitoring and safety inspections.
She also says commercial vehicle safety officers should have better supports, including shelters and training, to ensure they continue to do a good job.
She says the Ministry of Transportation has created an initiative to help drivers recognize the risk of driving around commercial vehicles. The Be Truck Aware campaign can be viewed here, and Bellringer suggests that everyone, especially people who travel out of town frequently, should look into the campaign to be better prepared to drive around commercial vehicles.