Drivers across Northeast B.C. are being urged to slow down and stay alert as construction season ramps up alongside increased summer travel.
The Canada Day long weekend typically marks the start of the busiest travel period of the year. It’s a time when more vehicles on the road and an increase in roadside work can create dangerous conditions.
Safety officials say those risks are being felt in communities across the Peace Region, including Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, where highway maintenance, construction, and utility work are common during the summer months.
According to statistics from ICBC, July sees some of the highest crash numbers in the province, averaging more than 26,000 reported crashes over the past five years.
“Work zones are complex, fast-changing environments. If drivers lose focus even for a moment, they can miss critical cues,” said Road Safety at Work spokesperson Trace Acres.
The added pressures of summer travel including tight schedules, long distances, and distractions inside vehicles, can increase the likelihood of serious incidents, especially in areas where workers are operating just metres from active traffic.
WorkSafeBC data shows that between 2016 and 2025, 11 roadside workers were killed and more than 260 others were injured badly enough to miss work.
Drivers in B.C. are required by law to slow down in work zones, follow posted signage, and obey traffic control personnel. They must also follow the “Slow Down, Move Over” law when approaching vehicles with flashing lights, reducing speed to 70 kilometres per hour on highways or 40 kilometres per hour in lower-speed zones when necessary.
Officials say the message is simple but critical: staying focused behind the wheel can help prevent life-changing consequences for both workers and drivers.
Work zone safety campaigns are ongoing across the province, with officials emphasizing that even a moment of distraction in high-risk areas can put lives at risk.