BC Coroners report showing decade high motorcyclist fatalities puts safety into focus

Most occurred on weekends, and a large portion of deadly events took place in the Interior region.

Following this report, riders are being cautioned to take the property safety precautions, and drivers are reminded to keep an eye out for everybody using the roadways.

BC Coroners Service spokesman Andy Watson says the latest data shows 51 riders lost their lives last year in British Columbia.

“The biggest thing from the Coroners Service report on motorcycle-involved deaths that I think really stood out for us was that we saw a 50 per cent increase between 2017 and 2018 in terms of the number of fatalities involving motorcyclists and motor vehicle incidents.”

Watson says 36 per cent of fatalities took place in the Interior, and notes Saturdays and Sundays were the days with the most motorcycle-involved fatalities.

“We know there is a lot of activity for people moving through the province in the Interior Health Authority,” Watson explains. “But the specific ‘why it’s happening, why is the Interior Health Authority highly represented in that data,’ we don’t have the exact answer for that.”

Merv Sadden practices personal injury law and knows not every incident involving a motorcycle proves fatal.

“Often in motorcycle accidents, they’re more serious injuries,” he says. “And so they regularly consult and counsel to get some direction and some advice because often their lives are very different.”

An avid motorcyclist himself, Sadden says if something were to go wrong while on the road, having proper equipment could minimize the extent of injury.

“You have two things that sort of protect you when you’re on your motorbike — one is the equipment that you’re wearing. So wear your gear. Your helmet, gloves, jacket, all your protective gear,” Sadden stresses, “and the other thing that is really your buffer is the space around you.”

Owner of Two Rivers Motorcycle Training, Patrick Snell, is among those who work with new riders and knows at the end of the day, part of avoiding injury or death while operating any vehicle is making sure proper training took place.

“Learning from friends and family, it’s not the best way to go because you might pick up bad habits, and they may not be perfect riders either,” he says. “They might have things that they’re doing wrong when they’re trying to teach you. So lessons are the only way to go.”

Warmer weather means more motorcycles coming out on the roadways for spring and summer rides, and drivers are being reminded to keep an eye out.

“You should follow the two-second rule. Keep well back, because it might be a new rider,and you don’t want to put them into a panic mode,” Snell explains. “It’s just a matter of safety. You want to make sure that they’ve got room to do what they have to do to keep safe.”

Regardless of whether someone drives a car, motorcycle, or any other kind of vehicle, industry experts stress, education and common sense can be a simple way to prevent death.

by Dylana Milobar

BC Coroners report showing decade high motorcyclist fatalities puts safety into focus

Our Community