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Hergott: Car crashes are a big deal

Lawer Paul Hergott explains his issue with ICBC down-playing car crashes as minor.
web1_170215-BPD-Hergott

香蕉视频直播淭o be honest, it pisses me off香蕉视频直播.

Those are the words of a former client who continues to live with neck symptoms years after a 香蕉视频直播渕inor香蕉视频直播 rear-end collision.

Neck symptoms weren香蕉视频直播檛 the piss-off, though. It was the attitude of a friend who had just rear-ended someone.

Her friend, clueless about how whiplash injuries work, said things like: 香蕉视频直播渋t wasn香蕉视频直播檛 a big deal香蕉视频直播, and 香蕉视频直播渆veryone is okay香蕉视频直播 when describing the collision.

Whiplash is rarely apparent at the scene of a crash. It usually takes hours before the damaged tissues start tightening up. It香蕉视频直播檚 not until the next morning when you can barely move your neck.

Her friend香蕉视频直播檚 focus was on how 香蕉视频直播渟uper grateful香蕉视频直播 she was that she had purchased a premium insurance package. She will simply wait a couple of days for vehicle repairs. With the nice loaner vehicles provided by collision repair shops, that might even be a treat.

Depending on her 香蕉视频直播淐laim-Rated Scale香蕉视频直播 with ICBC, she might well have zero or perhaps as little as a 5 or 10 per cent increase in her insurance premiums.

Nothing has changed in her life, except that she pays a deductible and will never hesitate to purchase collision insurance.

My former client puzzled: 香蕉视频直播淚t seems strange that our society is set up to make it easy on people to smash their cars into each other.香蕉视频直播

Indeed.

Her friend香蕉视频直播檚 level of driving care was so grossly lacking that she managed to crash her vehicle into the back of another. It is a type of crash that absolutely dominates my practice. Again and again and again, drivers somehow fail to notice that traffic ahead of them has come to a complete stop, and 香蕉视频直播渃rash香蕉视频直播.

The 香蕉视频直播渁t fault香蕉视频直播 driver is rarely injured. Spring loaded bumper technology helps soften the landing. That same technology causes added acceleration to the innocent victim香蕉视频直播檚 completely stopped vehicle, increasing the forces on the occupant.

Combined benefits of collision and liability insurance completely protect the negligent driver who is completely clueless about the possibility of having caused a life-long injury.

What is the incentive to be a super-vigilant driver if there are no consequences to being careless?

My former client suggested that collision insurance (insurance to pay for damage to your own vehicle if you cause the crash) should not be allowed if you, yourself, cause a crash. How香蕉视频直播檚 that for a powerful thought!

Your liability insurance would pay for your victim香蕉视频直播檚 vehicle damage but you would foot the bill for your own.

Imagine yourself behind the wheel of your car with zero collision insurance protection if you cause a crash. Might your level of care increase knowing that you香蕉视频直播檙e going to be 香蕉视频直播渙ut of pocket香蕉视频直播 the thousands of dollars of repair expense?

It香蕉视频直播檚 ideas like this that would have the benefit of reducing crashes while greatly easing the burden on ICBC.

Here香蕉视频直播檚 another idea: get rid of 香蕉视频直播渇ree crashes香蕉视频直播. How about requiring drivers who cause crashes to pay higher (much higher) premiums, no matter how many years of crash-free driving they have under their belt.

Those years of crash free driving are part of the problem. The more years of crash-free driving, the more complacent we become. We actively encourage that complacency with our current system that gives 香蕉视频直播渃rash-free香蕉视频直播 drivers 香蕉视频直播渇ree crashes香蕉视频直播.

The foundation for these ideas is that crashes are caused by inattention and other negligent driving. They don香蕉视频直播檛 香蕉视频直播渏ust happen香蕉视频直播 except in the rarest of circumstances. In those rare circumstances, you wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be 香蕉视频直播渁t fault香蕉视频直播 and would be fully protected if either of these ideas were implemented.

Is ICBC listening?



Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

I am a broadcast journalism graduate from BCIT and hold a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University. I enjoy volunteering with local organizations, such as the Okanagan Humane Society.
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