Stopped by the Police - What do I do Now?

Police VehicleWe live in a wonderful country where violence is still something relatively rare. If we are stopped by the police we tend not to worry and dig out our driver's license and vehicle registration wherever it might be in the vehicle. Some people even get out and walk back to the police car to see what is going on. These actions are meant to be polite and save time but today are not the right thing to do.

CASE LAW - Uy v Dhillon

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThis case resolves liability for a collision between a car driven by Johnberlyn Uy and a tractor-trailer combination driven by Daljit Singh Dhillon on the Coquihalla Highway just west of the Zopkios brake check. The collision occurred in the early morning hours of January 31, 2014 following a winter storm. At that time the road conditions were relatively good, consisting of a light coat of a mixture of compact snow and sand.

NEWS - Party Bus Rule Changes

party busRecent amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act have strengthened the protection for minors who use a party bus. Beginning last April 1, if a minor is on board the bus there must be at least one certified safety monitor that is not the driver present. In addition, the minor must have written consent from their legal guardian.

The Psychology of Speeding

speed demonThis must be speed week as I have heard from two drivers who are having difficulty following the speed limits and one who knew that he was speeding and wanted advice to plan his ticket dispute.  The three situations give some insight into how the pressures of every day driving encourage us to disobey.

GUEST - Warning Wildlife by Using Your Horn

Deer Crossing SignMulti-lane highways are not wildlife viewing areas. Using them as such puts the animals, yourself, and other road users at significant risk.

Traveling north by motorcycle from Vernon around 6:20 am Saturday morning. Near the weigh scales, 90 km/h zone, 2 lanes northbound, with concrete barrier adjacent to the left lane. I noted an SUV in front of me in the right lane slowing, and then stopping.

Q&A - Was I in the Wrong?

Double Solid Yellow LineI was sitting in a line of vehicles at the red light in the northbound lane of Woodsdale Road, at the intersection of Woodsdale Road & Highway 97 in Lake Country, British Columbia this afternoon. A northbound driver in a truck on Highway 97 turned south onto Woodsdale Road and immediately tried to cross the intersection diagonally to a driveway leading to his business at a small Marina on Wood Lake.

Q&A - Tying Down ATVs

Me and my husband are trying to figure out the requirements for tying down our ATVs. We’ve Googled the question and are still a bit lost. I have attached a picture and one of the quads in question. Do all 4 wheels need to be strapped down, or can we do a front left and rear right tie down?

Thinking Ahead of Big Trucks

danger no go zoneOne of the critical concepts I learned as a collision investigator this that fully loaded heavy trucks have 50 to 60% of the braking capability of light vehicles. This assumes that the braking system is not overheated, has been maintained properly and is correctly adjusted.

Air brake systems also suffer from brake lag, a short time period that occurs between the driver stepping on the brake pedal and the brakes starting to apply.