A reader asks: "If the posted speed limits on our roadways are not just suggestions, why are they not enforced? If we are permitted to drive above the posted limit, how far above, and if so, how is anyone ever cited for speeding?"
The National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims occurs in Canada each year on the third Wednesday in November. The BC Government issued an official proclamation of the day, which comes before the World Day of Remembrance held on the third Sunday of November.
When winter weather turned bad suddenly I would often find my shift was a busy one, driving from vehicle to vehicle in the ditch at the side of the road. Of course, we were obligated to check collisions and insure that no one was hurt but in this situation manpower often did not match the number of incidents reported. The situation was made worse by repeated reports of the same vehicle with a different description and location.
I usually talk about driver perception and reaction times in relation to using a signal light but it applies equally well to many other areas of driving such as following distances or why the speed limit might seem low on what appears to be a straight road. The question is "How long do I need to do something such as signalling before I change lanes?"
The Canadian Center for Drug Abuse and Addiction has released a report titled Measuring the Impact of Drug Impaired Driving. The report suggests that not enough is known about driving while impaired by drugs other than alcohol and its effects on people living in Canada.
The US National Safety Council in partnership with Toyota and the University of Iowa has created the "My Car Does What?" website in response to the finding that many drivers do not know how to use the safety features that are found in the modern vehicle. The site is meant to be a simple answer to: how do safety features work? When should they be used? Do I have them in my car? and How can I find answers to these questions?
The case of R v Alderson takes place in Campbell River. It involves Jason Alderson and Michael Brown, who met while Mr. Brown was backing out of a parking lot onto Leishman Road. Mr. Alderson drove by on Mr. Brown's left and was subsequently confronted by him a short distance away.
A good definition of aggressive driving is "an individual committing a combination of moving traffic offences so as to endanger other persons or property." Do you fit this definition? Due to our built in optimism bias, the answer to this question is most likely "no."
The case of Small v Kanhai takes place in the Town Center mall parking lot in Coquitlam. A group of teens had gathered there and were watching Kesean Kanhai perform powerslides with a Mini Cooper. One of that group, Matthew Small, decided to leave and attend another gathering.
There will be highs, there will be lows, but they would always be the same. Until 1957 anyway. Although this is a video from the US, Canadian standards are virtually (if not) identical. Take a trip down headlight memory lane and find out just a little bit about today's systems as well.