CASE LAW - R v Ghadban

BC Courts Coat of ArmsAli Ghadban was convicted in traffic court for not having a valid driver's licence and for driving without insurance for operating a Motorino XMr on the road in Surrey, B.C. He appealed his conviction on the ground that the Motorino was a motor assisted cycle (MAC) and he was excluded from the requirements to be licensed and insured while operating it.

Open Driver's Door Crash

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThe Motor Vehicle Act forbids opening your vehicle's door on the side next to moving traffic unless it is safe to do so. Ryan Toevs opened his driver's door to enter his truck and escape being side swiped by an approaching SUV driven by Michael Williams. Mr. Williams collided with his door and injured him. The case decides liability for the collision.

The Tug Test

Trailer TowingChances are good that your trailer has been slumbering, forgotten, in the back yard over the winter. Spring is here so we'll just hook it up and go. A quick check in the rearview mirror, yes, it's following us. The tug test has been passed, we're good to continue.

MAP - Commercial Vehicle Rest Areas

BC LogoThe Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has installed additional portable toilets at select commercial vehicle brake checks, inspection stations and chain up locations to provide more facilities to the trucking industry during the COVID-19 crisis. The map shows existing rest areas as well as the locations of temporarily installed portable facilities.

ROAD SAFETY AT WORK - Assessing and Improving Employee Driving Skills

Road Safety at Work LogoHere is an important question for you as an employer: Do you know why it is important for you to know what driving skills and behaviours your employees have? The short answer is that you have a legal duty to insure that your employees are qualified to carry out their assigned driving tasks.

Loss of Insurance Coverage

BC Courts Coat of ArmsIn the early morning hours of April 25, 2015 Kendall Derkson was driving her vehicle on Highway 10 in Surrey. She struck a vehicle driven by Patrick Chan, destroying her vehicle in the process. ICBC refused to cover her loss as she was in breach of her conditions of insurance for being “incapable of proper control of the vehicle” at the time of the collision due to the influence of alcohol.

Do We Really Want Safe Roads?

Ticket WriterAccording to media reports some drivers are taking advantage of the current light traffic conditions to behave badly. When stopped by police and ticketed for their actions the latest response is "Why aren't you fighting the epidemic instead of writing tickets?" I have it on good authority that you are more likely to die in a traffic collision than you are from contracting the COVID-19 virus.

CASE LAW - Henderson v McGregor

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThis case involves an instance of road rage involving two drivers, Michael Henderson and Jacqueline McGregor on Highway 99 near the George Massey Tunnel in the Lower Mainland. At the conclusion of the trial, Mr. Justice Walker found that Ms. McGregor had committed an unprovoked assault on Mr. Henderson and assessed almost $35,000 in damages.