BC Motor Vehicle Act Improvements

By restricting drivers from turning Right on Red lights, we can improve safety for vulnerable road users like people walking, rolling, scooting and using wheelchairs. Without such protections, allowing right turn on red lights creates conflict between people driving, walking and cycling and increases the chances of collision.

Numerous studies* have demonstrated that banning right turns on red lights can significantly decrease the number of crashes, particularly those involving people walking, rolling and cycling. 
Prohibitions on right turns on red lights exist in many countries and have been proven to enhance safety at intersections for all road users by reducing conflicts between turning vehicles and vulnerable road users. The evidence is clear: prohibiting right turns on red lights saves lives.

We recommend municipalities adopt implementing no right turns on red lights at high-crash intersections and support HUB Cycling and BCCC in pushing for a provincial-wide ban as part of the BC Motor Vehicle Act reforms.

Evidence & Support

According to ICBC, approximately 60% of crashes occur at intersections - banning right turns on red is one more way alongside a host of other measures that can reduce injuries and fatalities and work towards Vision Zero.

In Washington State, the Department of Transportation found that 20% of collisions involving a driver hitting a pedestrian or cyclist occurred on a right turn.
Right turn on red appears clearly as the most dangerous motorist maneuver for pedestrians at intersections with a crash rate about three times higher than the level of exposure (see chart below with comparisons of relative risk).

In 2018, Washington, D.C., banned right turns on red at 100 intersections. Data showed red-light conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians were all but eliminated.*

We ask that you support this recommendation and help increase road safety for all. To support our advocacy work, contact us at mva @ bikehub.ca

* States Consider Ending Right on Red to Address Rising Pedestrian Deaths

Setting default neighbourhood speed limits at 30km/hour in the BC Motor Vehicle Act will dramatically improve safety in our communities. It is widely recommended by health agencies, including the World Health Organization and BC’s Provincial Health Officer. Most people want slower speeds in their neighbourhoods: in a 2013 survey by the Canadian Automobile Association, 94% of respondents reported that speeding on residential streets was a serious threat to their personal safety.

We are recommending a Safe Speeds Law that would require all vehicles to travel at a maximum 30km/hour on neighbourhood streets (streets without a centre line) as the default speed limit. Exceptions would need to be specified with a sign on each block. 

Evidence & Support

• Toronto reduced major and fatal injuries by 67% after speed limit reductions to 30 km/h  on residential streets
• In City of Vancouver, 10% of injuries requiring ambulances occur on residential streets, in Richmond this number increases to 15%.
• In London, the introduction of 20 miles/h (32 km/h) zones was associated with a 42% reduction in road casualties.
• Similar benefits have been found in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands for people walking and cycling.
• In a Vancouver and Toronto cycling safety study, the injury risk at intersections with traffic speeds up to 30 km/h was half that at higher speed intersections.
• On average, the implementation of 30 km/h speed limits in European cities demonstrated a 23%, 37%, and 38% reduction in road crashes, fatalities, and injuries, respectively. Lower speed limits also yielded environmental benefits, with emissions decreasing on average by 18%, noise pollution levels by 2.5 dB, and fuel consumption by 7%, indicating enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact. 

We ask that you support this recommendation and help increase road safety for all.  To support our advocacy work, contact us at mva @ bikehub.ca