Crashes in B.C. have steadily increased over the last five years to 303,593 in 2024 since the significant reduction in crashes that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. ICBC forecasts the frequency of crashes in B.C., which is based on crash counts and the number of insured vehicles, to continue to increase in 2025 and then level off.
In terms of casualty crashes, where at least one person is injured or killed in a crash, the average annual rate of these casualty crashes when adjusted for the population in B.C. (per 1,000 people) decreased to 8.8 in 2024 from 8.9 in 2023 and is forecast to remain at that level.
According to ICBC, as the province continues to experience record population growth, this means there are more vehicles on the roads, which can lead to greater road congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately, more crashes.
The latest data on vehicle population in B.C. shows that the number of actively insured vehicles in B.C. has increased year-over-year for the last five years, and most recently, from 3.6 million in 2023 to 3.7 million vehicles in 2024. In addition, the number of actively licensed drivers in B.C. has followed a similar pattern with 3.89 million licensed drivers in 2023, which increased to 3.99 million drivers in 2024.
Author: Pooja Sekhon
Loading ...
