WHEREAS motor vehicle crashes in British Columbia are a leading cause of deaths, injuries, and damages resulting in great personal suffering and financial costs, and Electronic Stability Control ESC is extraordinarily cost-effective in preventing many serious motor crashes, especially in winter conditions and on resource roads in British Columbia; AND WHEREAS public awareness of Electronic Stability Control is very low and local government wishes to take a leadership role in promoting awareness and use of Electronic Stability Control to improve the safety of all drivers and their families: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM encourage all local governments in British Columbia to adopt a Choose ESC Policy for vehicle fleet acquisitions by choosing new and replacement motor vehicles with Electronic Stability Control whenever they are available; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the UBCM request the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia to: - offer insurance premium discounts to owners of vehicles with Electronic Stability Control; and - inform motorists of the benefits of Electronic Stability Control in annual insurance renewal notices; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the UBCM request the Province of British Columbia to reduce the Provincial Sales Tax on all new and used motor vehicles with Electronic Stability Control.
Ministry of Public Safety Solicitor General - Insurance Corporation of British Columbia ICBC Transport Canada has proposed a new safety regulation requiring that Electronic Stability Control ESC be installed as standard equipment on all light-duty vehicles for sale in Canada, beginning September 1, 2011. Any new safety technology like ESC, as well as seatbelt pre-tensioners, adaptive headlights, or forward collision warning systems may improve the loss experience of vehicles and may translate into a lower average loss costs for a vehicle. As ESC drives down loss costs, this will be reflected in the rate group assignment of those vehicles. ICBC, like other insurance companies, bases its Collision premiums on actual vehicle model experience, which reflects these lower loss costs. If ICBC were to use ESC as a rating variable for individual insurance policies in addition to the rate group assignments, it would result in the feature impacting premiums twice. ICBC is supportive of new technologies, like ESC, that help make vehicles safer. ICBC has ESC related information on its website and has offered to support any national ESC campaign initiated by Transport Canada. Ministry of Finance The Provincial Sales Tax will be repealed effective July 1, 2010.