In 2019, we asked journalists, road safety experts, and first responders to do something simple: stop using the word “accident” to talk about injuries.
An “accident” means something unfortunate that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally. No one plans to get injured, but when we refer to injuries as merely “accidents,” we are not acknowledging that they are preventable.
How you talk about something can shape how you think about it. By using words like “crash,” “injury,” or “incident” instead of “accident,” you can help us empower British Columbians to no longer accept that injuries “just happen.”
The Canadian Press agrees with us—in 2021, they no longer recommend that journalists use the word “accident” in their reporting. The official entry reads: “accident (avoid in reference to motor vehicles; prefer collision or crash).”
Refer to our Media Glossary (PDF) for more ideas on how you can change your language.
