VICTORIA — British Columbia's Transportation Ministry says crash rates have dropped or are unchanged on 19 of 33 sections of highway where speed limits were increased in 2014.
But speed limits will be lowered in a couple of areas — on Highway One from Hope to Boston Bar, where 90 km/h will replace the 100 km/h limit, and Highway 5A from Aspen Grove to Princeton, where the 90 km/h speed limit will drop to 80 km/h.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone says the 120 km/h speed limit on the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Kamloops will remain because that section has had low collision rates.
Stone says better signage and variable speed signs have been added to highway sections where more crashes have been recorded.
He says distracted driving, bad road conditions and driving too fast for conditions were factors in 54 per cent of all serious crashes where speed limits were changed.
However, he says at least three years worth of data is needed to determine whether speed has been a major factor. (Roundhouse Radio)