The headline read “Malahat crash sees angry motorists verbally abuse first responders.” Police already at the scene had to call other officers to provide crowd control. The incident raises the question of what should I expect as a road user?
Christine Bayfield was driving her van southbound on the Inland Island Highway in rainy and wet road conditions. She overtook a logging truck to avoid being sprayed by the water it picked up off the pavement. As she passed, she lost control, began to rotate and left the pavement, rolling over in the median.
Paul examines the case of Tran v Edbrooke where the law governing slippery roads is the subject in deciding liability for a collision. A driver is required to slow down enough that they won't slide if the roads are slippery and if slowing down won't be enough to prevent sliding, then the driver must choose another way to reach their destination.
I had a bit of a scare the other day when I tried to back out of a space in a busy parking lot. There was a large van beside me blocking my view so I scanned as completely as I could and began to let up on the clutch. No sooner had I started to roll than a woman paying more attention to her smart phone than where she was walking appeared from behind the van. We both slammed on the brakes and after looking at each other for a moment, she continued on her way.
change me
Prevalence of Alcohol and Drug Use in Injured British Columbia Drivers
This study was conducted in seven major trauma centers in British Columbia between 2010 and 2012.
The conclusion:
Paul examines the case of Bingul v Youngson. It involves a rear end collision at a Vancouver intersection where Murat Bingul was found to have pulled in front of a heavy commercial vehicle and stopped for a traffic light. The driver of the commercial vehicle, Spencer Youngson, was unable to stop due to the suddenly reduced distance to the intersection and collided with the Bingul vehicle.
A reader was travelling in a major municipality recently and was stopped in a large collection of vehicles waiting for a red light at the intersection of two multiple lane highways. Emergency vehicles using lights and sirens approached from the rear and tried to get through the traffic and the intersection. There was significant difficulty and the reader was curious how far forward vehicles could move into the cross flow of traffic to assist in clearing a path.
One of our local newspapers has a Beefs and Bouquets section that I often find entertaining. Many of the beefs concern drivers who don’t follow the rules but occasionally I scratch my head and wonder if the “beefer” could pass a driving knowledge test.
How do I deal with the legal system after my son was killed by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel? This was the plea in my in-box from a mother who was trying to understand in the recent aftermath of a catastrophe. The two haunting concerns that she has right now is that this driver is still legally allowed to drive and the most significant consequence that he might face for causing death is a traffic ticket.