Roadways in British Columbia have marked a sombre record as the deadliest July in the last two decades.
A total of 51 people died during motor vehicle incidents in the province during the month of July.
The BC Coroners Service confirms the number of deaths was higher than what's typical during the summer months and the highest over the past decade.
Numbers dating back to 2004 show the second deadliest year, in the last two decades, for July was in 2008 with 50 deaths, followed by July 2007 with 48 deaths and July 2006 with 46 deaths.
In the last two decades, the worst month ever for deaths was December 2005 with 52 deaths.
Preliminary numbers for August 2024 deaths connected to motor vehicle incidents are not yet available.
Back in the middle of July, the BC Coroners Service urged people to take extra care when on the roads after 19 people died in just five days.
Between July 5 and July 10, there were 19 motor vehicle-related deaths; 12 of the deaths occurred during three incidents in the Interior.
A total of 182 people have lost their lives on roadways this year. In 2023, 331 people died in a motor-vehicle incident.
Vancouver sees dip in numbers
As previously reported by Glacier Media, Vancouver has seen a steady drop in the number of traffic-related deaths since 2007.
Data shared with city council from city staff shows Vancouver has become a safer place on the roads than in years past, with fewer than 19 deaths per year recorded between 2008 and 2023.
Between 1996 and 2007, a total of 305 people died. That’s an average of 28 deaths per year. The highest number of fatalities — 39 — occurred in 1998. The lowest was eight in 2020.
With a file from Mike Howell
