Drivers planning a road trip this Easter holiday weekend are reminded to stay
alert and sober, and buckle up

BURNABY, BC, March 29 /CNW/ - As we head into the first long weekend of 2010, BCAA and the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation are calling on drivers to protect themselves, their families and other road users by making road safety an even greater priority. According to the 2007 B.C. Collision Statistics (the latest year available) the Easter holiday period accounted for 269 traffic injuries and fatalities, the second deadliest holiday period behind the Canada Day long weekend, which recorded 276 injuries and fatalities.

BCAA and the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation say there are specifically four areas where drivers can have the most influence on safety, especially during this busy holiday weekend:

    
    1.  Keep your hands on the wheel and mind on the road. According to the
        U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the many forms
        of distracted driving are collectively responsible for as many as
        eight out of every ten crashes. Distraction can stem from anywhere in
        or outside the vehicle - anything that reduces the driver's
        awareness, decision-making, and/or performance on the road.

    2.  Stay alert and take regular breaks. Motorists in a hurry to get to
        their destination often push on and drive through dinner and much-
        needed rest stops. Eyes closing or losing focus, continuous yawning
        and drifting between lanes are all danger signs of drowsy driving.
        Stay alert by getting enough sleep before a trip and take a break
        every two hours or every 160 km.

    3.  If you're going to drink, don't drive. According to B.C. Traffic
        Collision Statistics, the greatest number of impaired driving
        collisions occur over long weekends. Festivals and vacation
        activities are often combined with a drink or two. But good times
        don't give anyone a license to drink and drive.

    4.  Buckle-up. Ensure you and your passengers fasten their seat belts and
        use age-appropriate restraints. By law, children up to 40 lb (18 kg)
        must be in a child seat, and children aged four-to-eight or weighing
        less than 80 lb (36 kg) must be in a booster seat.
    

For more traffic safety tips, check out the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation's website at www.tsfbcaa.com.

BCAA is the largest organization of its kind in B.C., with over 100 years experience and gross annual sales of nearly $400 million from its membership, insurance and travel businesses. A BCAA Membership can be found in the wallets of over 780,000 British Columbians and in one-in-four B.C. households. For the past two years, BCAA has received the highest score in Canada for home insurance customer satisfaction in a J.D. Power and Associates study. And, for the past four years, BCAA has been named one the 50 Best Employers in Canada by international HR consultants Hewitt Associates and the Globe & Mail's Report on Business magazine. To learn more about BCAA's products, services and member advocacy, visit www.bcaa.com. For more information on the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation visit www.tsf-bcaa.com.

The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is a non-profit registered charity working with families, communities and business partners to reduce the number and severity of traffic crashes and injuries in B.C. For more information visit www.bcaatsf.ca or call 604-298-5107.

For further information: or to request an interview, please contact: Niela Melanio, BCAA Media Relations, Tel: [phone]; Lennea Durant, BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation, Tel: [phone]