New Rules for Motorcyclists Being Examined
The B.C. Coroners Service (BCCS) death review panel is recommending additional motorcycle safety measures are helping to inform legislation and regulatory changes currently being considered by the Province, said Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Kash Heed.
"It's clear that with more riders on the road, motorcycle safety is an area where improvements need to be made, and that's what this government is going to do. These findings and recommendations from the B.C. Coroners Service further support our ongoing work to protect motorcycle riders by reducing the risks they currently face.", said Heed.
Between 2000 and 2007, there were 286 motorcycle-related deaths reported to the BCCS. In light of the rising number of fatalities, B.C.'s chief coroner convened a death review panel on motorcycle fatalities in November 2008 and since made 9 recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future, including:
- Require mandatory industry certification for all motorcycle helmets
- Establish a graduated-licence program for new riders
- Implement a zero-tolerance blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) policy for new riders
- Issue a different-coloured licence plate to motorcyclists who hold an ICBC learner's licence
- Re-evaluate existing standards for training schools and instructor certification
- Expand the scope of coroner's investigations involving motorcycle deaths to include more data and compile it in a specific section for better analysis in the future
These recommendations were directed to the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV), the BCCS and the Insurance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC).
A statistical review was carried out on all 286 deaths and a more in-depth analysis was conducted on six of the cases.
Over the past 2 years, the OSMV has collaborated with the BCCS, ICBC and police to develop a comprehensive approach to improve motorcycle safety based on a review of best practices in other jurisdictions, current research and consultations within the motorcycling community and industry.
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