DriveSmartBC

Airbags go hand in hand with seatbelts to protect a vehicle's occupants during a crash. They have become smarter as manufacturers and regulators have refined how they work and how they are required to work.

Is this vehicle legal to drive with no drivers side mirror? The passenger side mirror is there, but the window is missing and replaced with plastic.

Last week's column on overdriving low beam headlights resulted in some interesting comments. Chief among them was the thought that this wasn't a problem because the driver had installed high wattage bulbs and now had more light to see with.

Window tinting looks cool, keeps your vehicle interior cool, or hides your vehicle contents from potential thieves. The drawback with tinting certain windows is that it limits the driver's ability to see and be seen. It is also illegal and may result in enforcement action in the form of either a ticket or a repair order.

When I was posted to Fort St. John detachment, the decision was easy, our family car had four studded winter tires. Once I was transferred to Penticton, these tires went with the car when we traded it in and we used all season tires throughout the year. Now that we live on Vancouver Island, we've come full circle and just purchased a set of four studded winter tires.

The province of British Columbia has not yet mandated that true winter tread tires be used during the winter months on all highways. However, one can only legally operate in the ice and snow using all season or summer tires if they are not traveling on posted highways or are carrying tire chains that are the appropriate size and type for the vehicle.

The eSafety background paper examines five systems: electronic stability control, warning and emergency braking systems, blind spot monitoring, lane support systems and speed alert. Unlike passive safety system we take for granted today, seatbelts and air bags, these systems are active.

Is it legal to install a television set in a vehicle? There are two answers to this question, one simple and the other complicated. Driver distraction and the possibility of a collision resulting from it is a very real concern.

The bill to add section 214.1, Use of Electronic Devices while Driving (including cellular telephones and similar devices), to the Motor Vehicle Act has received final reading and will be implemented on January 1, 2010. For more information on the bill as passed, see the links below:

I began driving my own car in the mid-fifties and I always used winter tires on the rear only during the winter months. Based on about thirty years of experience, I feel that I am quite capable of managing winter driving with the traction arrangement I had for rear drive in the past. However, I am not interested in contravening any legislated law or regulation.