Building Trust, Driving Confidence

Having spent more than 50 years in the business both in the private and public sector, I would make this observation: As long as we keep the tort system, which studies have shown, over-compensates those with minor injuries and under-compensates those with major or catastrophic injuries, the system is not going to work.

Both Manitoba and Saskatchewan were facing huge rate hikes. The politicians, afraid of the public backlash scrapped the tort system and introduced a no-fault system to compensate persons injured by automobiles. Both Provinces now have stable, financially viable insurance plans.

And don’t get me started on the money the lawyers are sucking out of ICBC coffers. Look at the money law firms are spending on advertising. Where do you think that money is coming from?

Yes, my opinion is that you need to charge a lot more for insurance for those expensive cars that are in Richmond, BC.  We, the regular people, drive regular cars which are less expensive to repair, if an unfortunately accident happens.  

Another way to reduce costs is to reduce the salaries of the upper management who are probably making far too much for what they do.  It is often the workforce who do all the work.

Interesting commentary on safety, but its not always only drivers, sometimes it is stupid engineering.

I was in an accident in June that was not my fault. Despite the other driver being at fault, I feel the real reason was a bad intersection. A legal left hand turn out a fast lane on a 4 lane 100 kph hwy.

After my accident, the local papers & TV in Kamloops mentioned that the government had been written several letters about this particular location. I also sent a letter to the highways minister plus my dash cam video, and heard nothing back, no response, no acknowledgement, Nada.

In the video you can see the red pickup caused the accident. I cannot tell if he felt he was going to rear end the jeep turning left or simply was impatient. Regardless a legal left out of the fast lane at the bottom of hill is crazy, you can see all the previous skid marks if you look closely.

I was towing an 8000 lb trailer. I would have killed him had I not swerved right. May have t-boned the left hand turner had I gone left.

Nearly killed myself in the process. The RCMP was amazed i came out alive with only whiplash and a concussion and no life threatening injuries.

Yes-shared responsibility. I have given up on politicians being concerned about road safety-_Drive defensively.

First and foremost, ICBC needs to redefine whether it wants to call driving being a privilege or a right.

Where I came from driving is a privilege which means that I may be deprived of the ability to operate a motor vehicle if I chose not to abide by rules under which my driver's license is granted.

ICBC should get out of insuring owners of supercar who have bad driving records. The Corporation cannot continue pretending to be a charitable organization with policies of getting the driving public to pay for bad drivers. Give higher premium discount to reward the good and experienced drivers; increase premium for bad drivers and, repeat offenders. Send these offenders back to driving school when necessary.

Create province wide joint effort projects with municipalities to invest and promote pedestrian education and cyclist education so that all road users are equally informed on the rules of the law on roads and wheels. At this point, all motorists consider pedestrians and cyclists are ignorant about their responsibility on road usage.

If ICBC is considered a crown owned corporation then the entire province is the stakeholder.

For instance, the bus stops in the Metro Vancouver areas are NOT installed at strategic locations with road safety for pedestrians/riders as the prime objectives. That indicates the transit authority never consulted the City in its bus stop planning and logistics. The result of which creates road rage, traffic congestion, pedestrian and rider casualties.

Having grown up and lived in Asia and the UK respectively, their bus stops are all purposefully planned to avoid congestion due to high density usage by vehicles and people. All bus stops are coved in with weather shelter. They are always located away from an intersection to avert backing up by the arrival of multiple vehicles at the stop. Thus, creating traffic and pedestrian jamming the intersection.....a potential casualty trap.

A pedestrian controlled crossing to facilitate riders to cross the road at mid-block for connecting to other routes.

There is a good pedestrian controlled crossing example at the Brighouse Canada Line Terminus in Richmond, but sadly the bus stop there is NOT coved in. This creates traffic congestion all the time right in the centre of the city. A typical example of failing to consult the city prior to locating the bus transfer stop.

Create policies aiming at allowing private insurance companies to do business by providing insurance for bad drivers.

If private insurance company can blackball bad drivers, why can't ICBC?

Make driving suspension stiffer, which may only be revokable through a Special Tribunal that will be responsible for reassessing the merit of granting the driving privilege to rehabbed drivers.

Honestly, if ICBC feels bonuses have to be given to management as incentives to boost productivity and profit, then there is something wrong with the incentive formula. It is unacceptable. That needs to have a wholesale overhaul.