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People ringing in the new year across British Columbia will be able to get home for free on public transit Wednesday night, as transportation officials and police urge revellers to plan ahead and avoid risky travel.
Depending on the weather, safe travel options could include walking, public transit, a taxi, a ride with a designated driver or ride-hailing.
With ICBC reporting that impaired driving is the leading cause of traffic fatalities across the province, police are continuing enforcement with a campaign against alcohol and drug-impaired driving. B.C. Highway Patrol says officers from the RCMP and municipal police departments are conducting roadchecks throughout December.
At the same time, transit systems in areas such as Metro Vancouver, the South Coast, the Interior, and northern B.C. will offer free trips on New Year’s Eve.
In Metro Vancouver, buses, the SkyTrain and the SeaBus will be free starting at 5 p.m., continuing until 5 a.m. New Year’s Day. However, anyone beginning a trip before 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 should tap out as usual to ensure they’re charged the correct fare, says TransLink.
The regional transportation authority is deploying more than 50 additional buses and extending the operating hours of SkyTrain and SeaBus.
Outside Metro Vancouver, B.C. Transit says many communities are offering free or extended service.
Safety should be on top of mind
The province sees more crashes in December than in any other month, according to ICBC.
On average, during the Christmas holidays, three people are killed and more than 350 people are injured in more than 1,600 crashes in B.C., shows ICBC data. While over New Year’s, on average, one person is killed and nearly 250 people are injured in about 940 crashes.
With snow, ice and rapidly changing conditions on highways and mountain passes, ICBC is urging drivers to check road conditions on DriveBC before leaving, to allow extra time, and to make sure their vehicle is equipped with winter tires and emergency supplies.
Lights, safety, action! #BCHwyPatrol Winter Impaired Driving checkstops will continue all month. The best present you can give your kids and your family is to get home safe- with your car keys and your licence in your pocket pic.twitter.com/8OFwMqTOUs
