ICBC gives winter driving tips amid several road incidents in the northwest

Weather conditions in the northwest have resulted in a series of recent road incidents so ICBC is giving tips on how to stay safe on the road during the winter season. 

Two accidents occurred in Terrace on Feb. 1, one of which was fatal: a 60-year-old man lost control of his vehicle on the highway near New Remo just outside of Terrace, veering into oncoming traffic and colliding with a pick-up truck. After being taken to the hospital he was pronounced dead. The other accident resulted in the driver being medically evacuated out of town for treatment of his injuries.

The previous Saturday also saw two single vehicle accidents in Kitimat, though neither resulted in injuries. 

Last month saw one fatal incident on the highway between Terrace and Prince Rupert on Jan. 31. Witnesses attempted to help the 33-year-old woman who’s car ended up in the Skeena River, though she succumbed to her injuries after being transported to the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital. 

In all the situations, the RCMP says winter road conditions were to blame. 

Doug MacDonald, ICBC Road Safety and Community Coordinator, says that road conditions can be unpredictable in this stage of winter due to the rapidly changing weather conditions and usually result in a higher number of incidents. 

With the later stages of winter and temperatures just hovering around the freezing point, MacDonald says that a slightly wet road can transform to black ice swiftly. 

In order to avoid traffic incidents as much as possible, MacDonald says one of the most important things a driver can do at this time of year is to be prepared. 

According to MacDonald, taking your time is one of the biggest preventative measures that drivers can take to avoid traffic incidents. 

Leaving just 10 to 15 minutes early can give drivers enough time to slow down when they need to and stop for any road maintenance that may be taking place. 

If planning a longer road trip, MacDonald says that checking the highways on DriveBC and asking “Should I go?” is important to do beforehand. 

Highway conditions are updated hourly on the DriveBC website, and tips on being prepared for winter driving are also offered on the ICBC website.

This post is brought to you in partnership with the Local Journalism Initiative of Canada. See the original story here.