"Road safety is everyone's responsibility."
While Coquitlam RCMP stress this statement for all commuters year-round, this is especially the case for motorcyclists right now as summer is known to sprout more hot rods along local thoroughfares and highways.
According to ICBC's latest stats, 197 known crashes involving motorcycles have taken place across the Tri-Cities in the last five years, 2018 to 2022.
This includes 108 in Coquitlam, 62 in Port Coquitlam, 24 in Port Moody and three in Anmore and Belcarra.
While it's not clear how many led to injury or fatality, 15 people die and more than 1,200 are injured each year on average in B.C.'s Lower Mainland from collisions involving motorcycles.
Mounties spokesperson S/Sgt. Mark McCutcheon said it's important for motorists to practice safe driving to avoid unnecessary incidents.
"Be vigilant in searching for motorcycles when turning left," he added.
McCutcheon refers to another ICBC statistic that states 60 per cent of all crashes involving a motorcycle across the province take place at an intersection.
Top factors have included improper turning, distracted driving and failing to yield the right of way, according to the insurance corporation.
Dangerous intersections
A handful of the recorded Tri-Cities crashes involving motorcycles have taken place at a series of intersections considered to be some of the most dangerous in all of B.C.
ICBC recently posted two Coquitlam intersections and one in Port Coquitlam among its top 10 crash-prone areas in the province:
- Brunette Avenue and Highway 1 (Coquitlam)
- Fifth = 172
- Tied for third in 2021
- Broadway Street and Mary Hill Bypass (Port Coquitlam)
- Sixth = 170
- Eighth in 2021
- Highway 1 and Highway 7B on-ramps (Coquitlam)
- Ninth = 145
- Fifth in 2021
The data, released this week, shows the the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and 264 Street in Langley was the site of 240 crashes last year, giving it the highest crash count in B.C.
Across the province last year, there were 96,676 crashes at intersections, injuring just under 50,000 people. That’s significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels — in 2018 and 2019, the number injured was about 20,000 people higher.
As well, some of the most active sites for crashes around the province were on bridges.
The Port Mann Bridge, connecting Coquitlam and Surrey, registered 241 crashes in 2022.
Safety tips
Meanwhile, RCMP have listed several safety measures for motorcycle riders to include in their routines before heading out onto Tri-Cities roads:
- Always respect speed limits
- Where needed, adjust your speed for the conditions and when approaching road curves in order to negotiate them properly
- Be sober and well rested
- Ride within your ability and skill level
- Wear approved helmets and follow the seating requirements
- Wear high visibility and/or protective clothing
Mounties are asking commuters to carefully scan each intersection for motorcycles turning left.
Drivers are also encouraged to give themselves a four-second following distance when travelling behind a motorcycle to allow enough time to stop
- with files from Stefan Labbé, Glacier Media
