ICBC road safety speakers talking to northern B.C. teens to prevent crashes this grad season

May 05, 2022

Every year in northern B.C., 320 people are injured or killed in crashes involving teen drivers.*​

This is why ICBC road safety speaker, Tiana Tozer, is now travelling across northern B.C. talking to high school students about how her life changed when she was injured in a crash with an impaired driver at 20 years old. She also draws from her experience as a two-time USA Paralympic medalist and humanitarian worker in Iraq to motivate youth to make positive choices and become leaders.

Paramedic, Ted Swan, is also touring the region drawing from his experience as a first responder at crash scenes to explain the science involved in a crash for both the vehicle and passengers.

“We're thrilled our speakers are back sharing their personal stories to help teens realize the potentially devastating impact that unsafe driving decisions can have not only on themselves but their loved ones and community," said Lindsay Matthews, vice president of customer experience and public affairs. “We encourage adults to also speak to the teens in their lives to create safer roads for everyone."

We're committed to supporting youth develop strong decision-making skills on the road to prevent crashes and save lives. We recently launched a new driving simulation app, Street Sense, to help new drivers recognize and avoid hazards while driving in a safe, online environment.

Media are invited to these select speaker presentations in Prince George:

• May 9, Prince George, College Heights Secondary, 10:15am, with Tiana Tozer

• May 9, Prince George, College of New Caledonia, 1pm, with Tiana Tozer

• May 10, Prince George, DP Todd Secondary, 8:45am, with Tiana Tozer

• May 13, Prince George Secondary, 10:06am, with Ted Swan

Please contact ICBC road safety coordinator, Doug Mac Donald at 250-561-5073 to confirm events 24 hours prior to attending, as dates and times are subject to change. Please check in at the school upon arrival.

Facts

• The top contributing factors for youth in fatal crashes are speeding (36%), distracted driving (23%) and impaired driving (20%).

• Young male drivers are involved in crashes almost three times more often than young female drivers, particularly when speed or impairment is involved.

• 19% of drivers speeding in crashes resulting in injury or death were 16 to 21 years old. Yet these young drivers make up only 6% of all licensed B.C. drivers.

*Police-reported data based on the five-year average from 2017 to 2021. Teen defined as age 16 to 19.