Recognize and reduce intersection risks
You may be surprised to know that driving through an intersection is one of the most dangerous situations a driver can encounter on the road. After all, most drivers stop at traffic lights, make turns, or simply pass through dozens of crossroads every time they drive. It’s no big deal– until someone makes a mistake, mistimes a turn, or doesn’t notice a critical factor.
ICBC reports that an average of 110,000 crashes occur at intersections in BC every year, leading to 68,000 injured victims and 69 fatalities.[1] According to police-reported data, more than 50 percent of crashes at intersections result in injuries.[2] Just think — preventing crashes at intersections could cut injury crashes by more than half.
That’s a great objective, but how?
One of the first questions to ask yourself is whether employees can simply cut down on the amount of driving they do for work: carrying out a task via phone or video conference reduces the road risks associated with that task to zero. Avoiding unnecessary driving is part of good journey management, a process designed to eliminate or minimize exposure to road hazards. Browse through Road Safety at Work’s online Journey Management and Trip Planning Tool Kit for more information, resources, downloadable forms, and a sample policy.
When driving can’t be avoided, a trip checklist can help workers plan a journey that minimizes risks. The completed checklist also documents the driving plan so it can be shared or improved upon the next time that trip needs to be made.
Holding an intersection safety tailgate meeting will give everyone the chance to discuss this topic, provide input, and propose solutions. It might also be a good time to view At the Crossroads: How to Travel Through Intersections Safely. This free webinar provides background information on the importance of intersection safety as well as practical tools, resources, and driving tips such as how to optimize your driving workspace for safer journeys. Participants can learn how to access and use ICBC’s Crash Maps and data to identify high-crash intersections around their region so they can plan routes around those locations or use extra caution when driving through them.
Keeping employees safe on the road is a shared responsibility. Recognizing the danger that lies around every corner and taking practical steps to reduce the significant risks associated with intersections will go a long way toward helping to protect your people.