In celebration of National Volunteer Week, ICBC is thanking the many dedicated volunteers in the Okanagan Similkameen for their commitment to creating safer roads for everyone.
Throughout the Southern Interior volunteers spent more than 20,000 hours delivering road safety programs in their communities in 2012.
"Without the tireless efforts of our incredible volunteers, these road initiatives would not be possible," said Christine Silver, local road safety co-ordinator. "On behalf of everyone at ICBC, thank you. Your commitment to strengthening the safety of your community will undoubtedly inspire others to do more. You are truly making the South Okanagan a safer place to live."
Speed Watch volunteers in the South Okanagan contributed over 213 hours to help reduce speed-related crashes in 2012. With the support of volunteers, speed-related crashes have decreased in B.C. over the last five years. The equipment also helps volunteers monitor drivers' speeds throughout the community including school and playground zones and high crash locations. Research shows that it works — over 70 per cent of drivers traveling 10 kilometres per hour over the speed limit slow down when they see a speed-reader board.
South Okanagan volunteers who operate the Lock Out Auto Crime program handed out more than 5,000 notices resembling parking tickets onto the windshields of vehicles, many with valuables in sight, offering tips to the owners to protect them from becoming victims of auto crime. The Stolen Auto Recovery program saw approximately 22,000 vehicles checked.
In 2012, Princeton volunteers who operate a stolen auto recovery program checked approximately 1,500 vehicles to look for signs of theft and help identify stolen vehicles. With the support of volunteers in the Southern Interior, there was a 51 per cent decrease in vehicle thefts and 67 per cent decrease in vehicle break-ins since 2003.