RoadHealth: Reducing Mortality and Morbidity from Motor Vehicle Crashes on Northern Roads

RoadHealth is a coalition of stakeholders working together to reduce mortality and morbidity from motor vehicle crashes on northern roads. Active participants include the Northern Health Authority, the RCMP, the Coroner’s Service, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC), the Forest Safety Council, Work Safe BC, and the University of BC (UNBC). It began when the Northern Health Board reviewed motor vehicle crash mortality data with the Medical Health Officer and indicated that something needed to be done to improve road safety. The project has resulted in increased public awareness and involvement in preventing crashes and in the implementation of numerous policies and projects aimed at making road users safer. Most of the work has been aimed at men working on the roads as truck drivers in the resource extraction industries, and the most striking reductions in crash mortality have been among men. A baseline MHO Report called “CrossRoads” was produced and updated on several occasions. Four major conferences have been hosted. There is a video called “Impact” which highlights the personal stories of people who have been impacted by motor vehicle crashes – this has been termed “Vehicle Impact Disease.” This project was presented at a number of workshops and conferences and takes public health approaches to a wider set of issues outside the traditional public health arena.