Too Slippery to Stop at a Stop Sign?
A DriveSmartBC reader has asked what happens when a driver approaches a stop sign on a road covered with snow and ice, applies the brakes and the vehicle slides through the intersection.
Drugs and Fatal Collisions: What the Canadian Numbers Really Tell Us
A new report from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) contains a startling statistic: in 2023, 41.2% of the road deaths in its Canadian database involved at least one driver who tested positive for drugs. Alcohol was involved in 29.3%. The findings are contained in TIRF's Drug Use in Fatal Collisions in Canada | 2000-2023fact sheet.
Towed From a Business Parking Lot: What Are the Rules in BC?
A DriveSmartBC reader asked what rules apply when a vehicle is towed from a business parking lot. The situation involved a large commercial lot serving several businesses, limited signage and a vehicle towed shortly after it was parked.
Night Driving Glasses
I've had readers ask me about glasses with yellow lenses that are marketed as night driving glasses. The claim is that the yellow tint reduces glare and increases contrast, making it easier to see in darkness.
Is Driver Attitude Really the Problem?
In 2008, Kelowna lawyer Paul Hergott wrote an article titled Drivers Need to Smarten Up When Out on the Road. He began with a blunt observation: “We've got ourselves a serious attitude problem.”
When a Trailer Swings Into a Passing Vehicle
Siegrist v. Wiens is a British Columbia Supreme Court decision about a collision that happened when a farm tractor towing a hay wagon turned right while a car was passing it on Highway 1 near Canoe.
Nanoose Bay Highway 19 Safety Review: Understanding the Data
Two recent collisions on Highway 19 through Nanoose Bay have renewed local concerns about road safety. A petition is calling for parking prohibitions and residents in the area want more enforcement and infrastructure improvements. In response the provincial government has announced an Operations and Safety Review of Highway 19 through the Nanoose Flats area.
Do Intersection Safety Cameras Actually Make Us Safer?
British Columbia is replacing all 140 of its Intersection Safety Cameras with modern equipment. The existing cameras will remain operational while replacements are installed through spring 2027.
BC Safe Routes Now: Find Active Transportation Plans in BC
BC Safe Routes Now is a project of the BC Cycling Coalition that provides a map-based inventory of active transportation plans across British Columbia. It can help you find out what your community has planned for walking and cycling, and where active transportation planning may still be needed.
When a Stopped Vehicle Isn't Parked
A vehicle stopped near an intersection may not be parked. It may be waiting for a pedestrian, another vehicle or some other reason. Lee v. Cheuck, a British Columbia Small Claims Court decision, illustrates why that distinction can matter.