When a crash occurs on multiple laned highways in B.C., drivers tend to stop in the same lane position that they use when driving. This often creates significant difficulties for emergency services, large fire department vehicles in particular, because there is no space for them to drive to the scene. Time lost to making way can come at a significant cost to the victims involved.
Right of way means the privilege of the immediate use of the highway over other users. We often speak of it, but do we really know what it means in relation to our driving? It is crucial that drivers know and follow the right of way rules to avoid conflict and collision.
According to Charles Marohn, municipal engineer and planner, a stroad is a bad combination of two types of vehicular pathways: part street and part road. He defines a stroad as a high-speed road with many turnoffs which lacks safety features and says that they are common in the United States and Canada.
A survey conducted by Road Safety at Work shows many people who drive as part of their job have misconceptions about motor vehicle crashes – and their causes – on B.C.’s roads. “Learning the facts can help prevent injuries and even save their lives,” says Louise Yako, program director for Road Safety at Work.
A reader has asked "What would happen to me if I was caught driving without a drivers licence?" It is a question that will expose serious consequences for you and the owner of the vehicle you are driving if it is not your own. I will confine my answer to the situation where you don't have a driver's licence either because you did not get one, it was expired or you did not have it properly reinstated after a suspension or prohibition.
The International Transport Forum's Road Safety Annual Report puts Canada in the middle of the OECD Countries for the percentage in change of road deaths from 2010 to 2018 showing a reduction of about 18%. The leader is Norway with about a 48% reduction and the worst is Costa Rica with in increase of about 38%.
The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) of Victoria, Australia reports that new research reveals the majority of the state’s road deaths happen because of a simple mistake committed by the driver. In 2020, 71% of road deaths involved a basic error, as opposed to high-risk behaviours such as speeding, drink-driving and drug-driving.
My girls attend high school and daily I watch as many of these students fill their cars with friends while displaying the "N" reports a reader. They go on to say that they spoke to their girls about this and the girls said that these young people just ignore that stipulation because no one checks and it is a nuisance being allowed to only carry one passenger.
It's back to school time for students at Frank J. Ney Elementary School in Nanaimo and Nanaimo News Now is reporting conflicts between residents on Entwhisle Drive and Carriage Drive and the parents driving their children to the school. The residents do not want the parents to use "their" street to deliver children to school.
September 1, 2021 saw the implementation of a new website location and design for ICBC's driver training information. Of interest on the new site is information on teaching the new Class 1 driver Mandatory Entry Level Training known as MELT. There are already a number of driving schools that are offering MELT training and they can be found here.