National Road Safety Week, running from May 15 to 21, overlaps with Victoria Day long weekend, which is traditionally among the busiest and deadliest on B.C. roads and highways. As traffic volumes increase, so do the risks faced by motorists.

According to provincial statistics for the last five years, about three people die and 489 people are injured in over 1,700 crashes on B.C. roads over the three-day weekend. Between 2007 and 2011, the average numbers of crashes and injuries over the weekend, by region, were:

• Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley: 1,116 crashes, 342 injuries.
• North Central: 105 crashes, 19 injuries.
• Southern Interior: 280 crashes, 69 injuries.
• Vancouver Island: 230 crashes, 59 injuries.

B.C's high-risk drivers - those who drive while impaired, speed excessively or talk or text while driving - can expect to face some of the most severe penalties and fines in Canada.

Here are some safety tips to help drivers arrive at their destination safely:

• Plan a safe way home, such as a designated driver or taxi, if your weekend activities will involve alcohol. Remember that impairment begins with the first drink, and that drugs - including prescription drugs - can affect your ability to drive safely.
• Buckle up. Seatbelt use is the single most effective step you can take to protect yourself from death or serious injury in a collision. The fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $167, and drivers can be fined $598 for operating their vehicle with more passengers than seatbelts.
• Slow down and stay calm. Speed and aggressive driving are among the main causes of fatal crashes.
• Plan ahead, keeping in mind that congestion, construction and road conditions may add to your travel time. View current webcam images on DriveBC at: www.drivebc.ca
• Eliminate distractions. Place calls before you leave and pull over to check maps. Drivers using a hand-held phone device are subject to a fine of $167 and drivers caught texting or emailing will receive three penalty points in addition to the fine.
• Leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the one ahead of you.
• Watch for motorcycles. Drivers need to recognize there are more riders on B.C. roads every year, particularly in spring and summer.

Contact:

Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 356-6961

The government's vision is to connect coastal communities in an affordable, efficient and sustainable manner. Amendments to the act give the commissioner more flexibility to determine the amount of revenue needed to sustain operations and support ongoing investment. The commissioner will also be given additional responsibility to oversee the costs of providing the ferry service. These changes will help reduce the pressure on fares.

Government agrees with the ferry commissioner that the interests of all parties must be reasonably balanced. Taxpayers, users and the ferry operator need to contribute to solutions that link coastal communities affordably and efficiently.

While these are tough economic times and fiscal discipline must be maintained, government is committed to providing additional dollars to keep the system affordable. In addition to the legislative changes:

• The government will increase its financial contribution to BC Ferries by $79.5 million to reduce the pressure for higher fares.

• BC Ferries will need to find efficiencies to reduce operating costs.

• There will be significant adjustments to service levels, and discussions with communities about trade-offs among service adjustments, fare increases and potential community contributions.

• In addition, government will seek public input to develop strategies to support a vision for connecting coastal communities.

Coastal ferries are integral to the way of life for many British Columbians. For 52 years, British Columbia's ferries have moved people and goods along the coast. However, travel patterns, demographics and coastal communities have changed, affecting how the ferry system is used. Like ferry systems around the world, it faces challenges of maintaining ridership amid rising operating costs, and changing customer preferences. Some routes in the current ferry system operate at less than 30 per cent of capacity, and some routes are losing millions of dollars despite annual government contributions. Without changes, the system is at considerable risk.

To ensure British Columbians have safe and reliable coastal transportation for future generations, long-term strategies will be developed and implemented. Future investments will look at providing greater interoperability of ferries between routes, reducing operating costs by implementing new technologies, such as LNG-fuelled and cable ferries, and allowing for alternative methods to connect coastal communities, such as passenger-only ferries and other service improvements.

Quote:

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom -

"The legislation introduced today builds upon the BC Ferry Commissioner's report and the concerns that the public have expressed about the affordability of BC Ferries. Despite the fiscal challenges this government faces, we are providing an additional $79.5 million - significant funding - over the next four years. We are following a three-pronged approach balancing the interests of ferry users, taxpayers and the ferry operator. I believe the changes we are making will address many of the issues identified, and I look forward to future discussions as we move forward to ensuring we have an affordable and sustainable B.C. ferry system."

Learn More:

This review of the Coastal Ferry Act is available at:

http://www.bcferrycommission.com/reports-press/whats-new/coastal-ferry-act-review/report-released

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Kate Trotter
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241

BACKGROUNDER

Legislation and fares addressed in changes proposed to Coastal Ferry Act

In May 2011, the Government of British Columbia passed legislation to support a review of the Coastal Ferry Act by the independent BC Ferry Commissioner to address public concern about rising ferry fares.

On Jan. 24, 2012, BC commissioner Gordon Macatee and deputy commissioner Sheldon Stoilen issued a report with recommendations on how to better balance the interests of ferry users, taxpayers, and the ferry operator.

Legislation:

The proposed legislative changes move toward striking a balance among the interests of ferry users, taxpayers and the sustainability of the ferry operator.

Some examples include:

• Cross-subsidization between routes will be permitted.

• The commissioner will be given more flexibility to determine the revenue needed to sustain operations and support ongoing investment. The ferry commissioner will set returns to enable the ferry operator to meet all its debt obligations and maintain an appropriate credit rating.

• The commissioner will be responsible for approving major capital expenditures with a view to furthering government's long-term vision. For example, the commissioner will be able to consider vessel replacements that will meet the needs of the future rather than the traffic patterns of the past, in keeping with the government's vision.

Other proposed legislative changes give the commissioner the authority to:

• Use measures, other than fare increases, to respond to extraordinary situations.

• Conduct routine performance reviews.

• Require the ferry operator to review its policies and undertake a public consultation.

Fares:

The Province has a long-term service contract with the operator, BC Ferry Services Inc., which defines the number of ferry sailings on 25 designated saltwater routes. The Province provides an annual ferry transportation fee to support these services.

Every four years, the commissioner reviews the costs to provide this service. The commissioner then sets a maximum average fare increase - called a price cap - for the following four-year performance term.

In addition to the ferry transportation fee, the Province provides annual subsidies for social programs which help keep fares affordable for seniors, students, people with disabilities and people travelling for medical reasons.

The total amount of provincial funding is currently more than $150 million. To address the current fiscal challenges facing the ferry system, the Province is providing an additional $79.5 million. This consists of a payment of $25 million and made at the end of 2011-12, and yearly payments of $21.5 million, $10.5 million, $11 million and $11.5 million in fiscal years 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.

For performance term 3, the commissioner set the preliminary annual price cap increases of 4.15 per cent for the major routes and 8.23 per cent for the northern and minor routes. The Province intervened to set the price cap increase for 2012-13 at 4.15 per cent for all routes. While the commissioner is responsible for setting the final price caps for the remaining three years, the Province's actions today are intended to enable the price cap increase to decline over time.

Contact:

Kate Trotter
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241

The initiative is a continuing commitment under the Ranching Task Force Report, in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Ministry of Agriculture and the BC Cattlemen's Association (BCCA).

This six-year program began in 2010 with planning and prioritization of projects. Construction commenced in 2011 and will take place through 2015, with a total of about 700 km of fencing built to separate livestock from provincial highways and railways. Last year, over 90 km of fencing was contracted, primarily replacing existing fences that were in poor repair.

Applications for fencing under this project have been received by the BCCA since early November 2010 and are still being accepted for future construction seasons. The planning and prioritization phase has wrapped up for this year, and tenders will be let for approximately $1.35 million in fence construction this season.

Administration of the project and tendering of the fence construction contracts will be carried out through BCCA's project delivery arm.

Quotes:

Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Blair Lekstrom -

"Many of our provincial highways pass through ranch land. By improving fencing along these routes, we are improving the safety of motorists who could be seriously injured in a collision with stray animals, and helping to protect ranchers from losing valuable livestock."

Minister of Agriculture Don McRae -

"The Province and BCCA are working together to improve conditions on the range, and build on the reputation that B.C. beef is raised to the highest of standards. The construction of 700 kilometres of fencing will offer highway and railway users increased safety while protecting the investments of B.C.'s hard working ranching families."

BC Cattlemen's Association general manager Kevin Boon -

"The joint program to fence highways and protect motorists and livestock in British Columbia is well underway, with close to 100 kilometres of fence built in the first year."

"With food production becoming ever more important to the province's economy, it is refreshing to see a program that invests in its future. More importantly, this program protects the motorists who enjoy B.C.'s highways."

Learn More:

Learn more about the Highways Fencing Program at: www.cattlemen.bc.ca/fencing.htm

Contact:

Jeff Knight
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-7707

Kathryn Hardy
Communications
Ministry of Agriculture
250 387-1693

The proposed Motor Vehicle Act amendments will enhance fairness and strengthen public confidence in the process for drivers whose roadside breath samples yield either "warn" or "fail" readings on an approved screening device (ASD). The amendments are critical to sustain the public safety benefits and justice reform facilitated by providing police with tough, immediate roadside prohibitions, as an alternative to pursuing the full criminal process for those who provide a failing breath sample.

The proposed changes are designed to address the court's concerns about providing failing drivers with a way to meaningfully challenge the roadside breath-test results:

* Making it mandatory for police to advise drivers of their right to challenge the first test result by completing a second test. Currently, officers are not legally required to inform drivers of this right.

* Requiring police to advise drivers that the lower of the two readings will prevail. Under the existing law, when a driver opts to take a second test, its result prevails - higher or lower.

Other amendments are designed to improve administrative fairness and provide drivers with the opportunity for a more rigorous review through the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles:

* Expanding the grounds for administrative review to include the reliability of the ASD results, whether police advised the driver of his or her right to a second test, whether police conducted that second test on a second ASD, and whether the IRP was issued on the basis of the lowest reading. These grounds relate to the expanded requirements of police officers at the roadside under the amendments.

* Requiring sworn reports from police to the superintendent. This new requirement will support the reliability of evidence officers submit to support IRPs.

* Requiring police to submit documentation about the calibration of the ASD device or devices used. This new requirement will support the reliability of the ASD readings under review.

The amendments are designed to fully address the B.C. Supreme Court ruling of Nov. 30, 2011, concerning the constitutionality of part of the existing IRP law. The court found the current legislation infringes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as the existing administrative review process does not provide a driver the ability to meaningfully challenge the "fail" result of a roadside breath test. The court granted government's request that the declaration of unconstitutionality be suspended until June 30, 2012, to allow time to amend the law.

The amendments will see IRPs resume as an alternative to the Criminal Code process for drivers found in excess of the legal limit of .08 per cent blood-alcohol content (BAC). This alternative can save police and the courts considerable time and resources. Police will retain the right to pursue the Criminal Code process, which has been the default approach since the B.C. Supreme Court ruling.

B.C. brought Canada's toughest provincial sanctions for drinking and driving into force on Sept. 20, 2010. The first full year with these rules saw a 40 per cent drop in alcohol-related traffic deaths, compared to the average over the previous five years.

Quotes:

Shirley Bond, Minister of Justice and Attorney General -

"This is about maintaining the proven, life-saving value of our impaired driving law while ensuring that we fully comply with the requirements of the Charter. We want police, drivers and judges to have utmost confidence in the reliability of the roadside procedure and the fairness of reviews to those who dispute the results.

"B.C.'s tough, immediate roadside prohibitions will continue to deter people from drinking and driving, and continue to enable police to immediately remove alcohol-impaired drivers from our roads, enhancing public safety."

Chief Const. Peter Lepine, president, B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police -

"These amendments should clear up any misunderstanding by drinking drivers who misinterpreted the Supreme Court ruling as a way to escape the consequences of their dangerous decisions. The fact is, police officers remain steadfast in enforcing the law, whether you blow a 'warn' or a 'fail' - and we applaud the Province for responding to the court's ruling in a fulsome, timely manner."

Quick Facts:

* When the Province introduced its IRP legislation in 2010, it set a goal to reduce impaired driving fatalities by 35 per cent by the end of 2013. This goal was exceeded in the first year after implementation.

* From Oct. 1, 2010, to Sept. 30, 2011, the total number of alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths across B.C. was 68. This represents a decrease of 40 per cent from the 113 such deaths on average in the previous five years.

* If passed, the proposed amendments will apply to all cases involving "fail" or "warn" breath samples.

* The B.C. Supreme Court ruled as constitutional the existing IRPs for drivers who provide a breath sample in the "warn" range (between .05 and .08 per cent blood alcohol content) or refuse or fail to provide a breath sample. Nevertheless, to ensure a fair, consistent approach for police and drivers alike, the proposed amendments will apply from the day they come into force, for all drivers.

* The Province will work to pass the proposed amendments during the spring 2012 legislative session and bring them into force on June 15, 2012.

* Under the original IRP law, drivers impaired by alcohol faced immediate penalties that may take away their vehicle and their licence, and cost them anywhere from $600 to about $4,060 in administrative sanctions and remedial program costs. The proposed amendments would not change this cost structure for IRPs that are upheld.

Learn More:

Read about the first-year effectiveness of IRPs:

www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2011PREM0155-001524.htm

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Justice
250 356-6961

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect