Research Papers

BC’s Road Safety Strategy 2015: What Does it Mean for Municipalities?

Version 1
Date added June 17, 2014
Downloaded 0 times/fois
Category 2014 CMRSC XXIV Vancouver
Tags Policy and Practice, Session 4A
Author/Auteur Raheem Dilgir
Stream/Volet Policy and Practice

Slidedeck Presentation Only (no paper submitted)

4A - Dilgir - BCRSS 2015 What Does It Mean for Municipalities



British Columbia’s Road Safety Strategy 2015 was endorsed and released in August 2012. It presents a vision and framework for moving towards zero fatalities and having the safest roads in North America. The strategy is the culmination of a two-year effort that included the work of five working groups and consultation with over 30 organizations and department.

As part of the Community Engagement component of the Strategy, the author assisted in soliciting the input of municipalities in the province, both from public officials and staff. This led to the formulation of a list of issues that municipalities were facing in their attempts to move the road safety agenda forward. This list included the difference between real and perceived issues among Councils and the public, licensing and training issues, legislative issues (including the lack of automated speed enforcement), the increase in inter-municipal travel, the general lack of funding which is related to a lack of political and the lack of a solid business case for improving road safety.

Objectives and Activities

The presentation will present a summary of the current status of municipalities that were surveyed, and elaborate on this list of issues. It will summarize what the province is offering to municipalities to address their current issues, and identify how municipalities will need to supplement these offerings to make a meaningful contribution towards reducing traffic injuries and fatalities in their jurisdiction and towards the Province’s target as a whole. This will include more systematically and aggressively addressing some the following issues:

  • Accommodation of vulnerable road users (various groups);
  • Effective speed management strategies;
  • System-wide implementation of proven initiatives;
  • Effectively applying the Safe Systems Approach in various roadway contexts; and
  • Creative and innovative techniques for traffic management and intersection operations.

Deliverables and Target Audience

The presentation will attempt to provide local government agencies with a set of tools for starting to take a more active and holistic look at its transportation activities with the objective of making a more significant impact on fatalities and injuries, in the context of British Columbia’s newly adopted strategy.

Raheem Dilgir