Traffic-related calls in province to 911 plunge as virus keeps drivers at home

More people staying inside during the COVID-19 pandemic has meant fewer cars are on the road, which has led to a steep reduction in the number of traffic-related 911 medical calls received by B.C. Emergency Health Services.

In the month of April, the BCEHS reports that its paramedics responded to 46 per cent fewer motor vehicle accident calls across British Columbia compared to April 2019.

Spokesperson Shannon Miller said the greatest reduction in medical calls for traffic accidents was in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, which experienced a 59 per cent decrease compared to last year.

Paramedics responded to 100 traffic calls in Vancouver last month, compared to 229 in April 2019.

“Paramedics were responding to about eight traffic incidents a day, now averaging three a day,” Miller said in an email.

There was a 50 per cent drop in the Fraser Health region, where the City of Surrey registered 115 traffic-related medical calls last month compared to 257 in April last year.

Traffic-related medical calls were down 42 per cent in the Vancouver Island Health region, 30 per cent in the Interior Health region and 21 per cent in the Northern Health region.

The total number of 911 calls has dropped significantly since provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry declared a public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 17.

Dispatch centres typically receive 1,400 medical emergency calls every day, but, since March 17, the average daily call volume has dropped 14 per cent to 1,200 a day.