Traffic safety remains a critical public health and economic challenge across British Columbia. The rolling model below provides a live, data-driven projection of cumulative road safety outcomes and transport incidents across the province since January 1, 2026:
Question: Is it legal to install a television, video screen or dash camera in a motor vehicle? The answer depends on what the equipment does, what it displays, whether the driver can see the display and, in some circumstances, the class of driver's licence. Modern vehicles increasingly use electronic displays for entertainment, navigation and vehicle information. British Columbia's laws place limits on what a driver may view or operate while driving.
Should cyclists be using the streets in winter? That question arose when uncleared pathways and cycling routes in one Vancouver Island municipality forced cyclists to use plowed streets instead. It is a reasonable question, particularly when snow and ice make cycling more difficult for everyone.
Imagine approaching a cyclist riding near the right edge of the highway. You check for traffic, decide it is safe to move left to give the cyclist more room, and begin steering away from them. Suddenly, your vehicle applies steering input in the opposite direction, trying to guide you back toward the right.
Winter brings an additional responsibility before you drive: making sure your vehicle is completely clear of snow and ice. It is a task that takes a few minutes, but too many drivers seem willing to skip it, relying instead on their windshield wipers and defroster to clear just enough of the glass to see the road ahead.
When a pedestrian is waiting beside a crosswalk, does a driver have to anticipate that the person may step onto the road? What if the pedestrian does not have the right of way, or the crosswalk's flashing lights have not been activated?
Question: At all hours of the day or night emergency vehicles will use their sirens. I live in a small quiet suburb and it is not fun being awakened at 3 or 4 in the morning because of this. I can appreciate what these folks have to contend with as far as dumb drivers are concerned, but in the early hours of the morning when there are no cars they should not use their sirens.
British Columbia made several changes to its Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) on October 19, 2026. The changes affect how long some drivers must hold a learner's licence, who may supervise them, passenger restrictions, new-driver signs and zero-tolerance rules for certain Class 5 drivers.
Vehicle lighting does more than help us see and be seen. The colours and positions of lamps and reflectors communicate information to other road users. Changing a bulb, lens or lighting assembly without considering the regulations can make a vehicle illegal to use on a highway in British Columbia.
Seatbelts have been required equipment in passenger vehicles for decades, but simply fastening one is not enough. A seatbelt must be worn properly to provide the protection it was designed to offer. An incorrectly positioned, loose or damaged belt may increase the risk of injury in a collision.