Press Release from Office of the Solicitor General

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NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
2010PSSG0017-000279

March 18, 2010

Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General B.C. Coroners Service

CORONER'S REPORT LOOKS AT MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

VICTORIA – Additional motorcycle safety measures recommended by a B.C. Coroners Service (BCCS) death review panel are helping to inform legislation and regulatory changes currently being considered by the Province, said Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Kash Heed.

“It’s clear that with more riders on the road, motorcycle safety is an area where improvements need to be made, and that’s what this government is going to do,” said Heed. “These findings and recommendations from the B.C. Coroners Service further support our ongoing work to protect motorcycle riders by reducing the risks they currently face.”

Between 2000 and 2007, 286 motorcycle-related deaths were reported to the BCCS. In light of the rising number of fatalities, B.C.’s chief coroner convened a death review panel on motorcycle fatalities in November 2008.

The panel made nine recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future including:

• Require mandatory industry certification for all motorcycle helmets.
• Establish a graduated-licence program for new riders.
• Implement a zero-tolerance blood-alcohol policy for new riders.
• Issue a different-coloured licence plate to motorcyclists who hold a learner’s licence.
• Re-evaluate existing standards for training schools and instructor certification.
• Expand the scope of coroner’s investigations involving motorcycle deaths to include more data and compile it in a specific section for better analysis in the future.

The recommendations were directed to the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV), the BCCS and the Insurance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC).

A statistical review was carried out on all 286 deaths and a more in-depth analysis was conducted on six of the cases. Panel members included representatives from the BCCS, police, ICBC, OSMV, B.C. Coalition of Motorcyclists, B.C. and Canada safety councils, Motorcycle and Moped Industry Council, B.C. training institutions and the riding community.

Over the past two years, the OSMV has collaborated with the BCCS, ICBC and police to develop a comprehensive approach to improve motorcycle safety based on a review of best practices in other jurisdictions, current research and consultations within the motorcycling community and industry.

The report is available online at:

http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/coroners/publ ... /index.htm


Media Contact:
Public Affairs
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General 250 356-6961


No where in that statement does it refer to educating the cause of the majority of those fatalities, the drivers of cages...
Those of us in BC had better be writing our MLA's and having a few things to say about these propsals...