ICBC launches online test to refresh drivers’ knowledge after crashes hit an all-time high in B.C.

How long has it been since you took the test to get your B.C. learner’s license?

If it’s been a few years, you may want to try a new online test put out by ICBC to refresh the knowledge of drivers around the province.

This comes as crashes continue to be on the rise in B.C., with 350,000 occurring in 2017 alone.

That’s around 960 a day, which is a 25% increase from the amount of crashes in 2014 and it means that one out of 10 B.C. drivers could cause a crash this year.

Many of these crashes are a result of bad driving habits, which 60% of drivers in the province think has gotten worse in the last five years.

That number is from a survey done by Insights West, which found that distracted driving (41%), lack of respect for driving rules (22%), speeding (16%) and aggressive behaviours (16%) are perceived to be the biggest issues.

"We all have a personal responsibility to keep the roads safe for pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers," said Lindsay Matthews, ICBC's interim vice-president responsible for road safety.

"Not only will safer driving help to reduce crashes, it helps to ensure that customers are paying the lowest possible amount for their premiums."

Suspecting that the loss of driving knowledge over the years might be contributing to these bad driving habits, ICBC has launched an online tool to help.

The Drive Smart Refresher Test is a free online tool through the ICBC website that encourages drivers to continually refresh their knowledge.

It’ll look very similar to your learner’s license test that you may have taken many moons ago and it’s a good gauge on how well you know the rules of the road.

Take the test by clicking this link and let us know how you fared in the comments below!