VIDEO - 120 MPH Crash Test

VideoJoin the folks at Fifth Gear as they crash a Ford Focus into a barrier at 120 mph or 193 km/h. After you take a look at the result, remember that a two vehicle head on crash at freeway speeds here in BC is somewhat the same. Two vehicles coming together at 100 KM/H each is the energy equivalent of this car striking the barrier at 200 km/h. Regardless of the circumstances, you don't want this to happen to you.

Failing to Take Reasonable Care

BC Courts Coat of ArmsRoad users, drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, have a duty to take reasonable care for themselves and others. If they do not follow the traffic rules they assume a heightened duty of care according to the courts. In this case both the driver and the cyclist involved failed to do so and collided with each other.

RESEARCH - The Transition to Unsupervised Driving

New Driver SignsThis study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is based on a small group of teen drivers using a vehicle equipped with an event data recorder called Drivecam. The Drivecam system records video and data based on abnormal triggering events such as sudden steering or braking. Recorded events were compared and contrasted for beginner (supervised) and novice (unsupervised) drivers.

Q&A - Winter Tires & Rental Cars

Winter Tire Regulatory SignQUESTION: I live in Vancouver and My friends and I are thinking of going to the Clayoquot Oyster Festival in Tofino in late November, but I remember the Pacific Rim Highway was signposted "use winter tires or carry chains between October and April". I have tried asking many car rental companies and none of them have winter tires, and could not confirm winter tires availability for November. Do you know what we could do in this case?

CASE LAW - Spencer v Superintendent of Motor Vehicles

BC Courts Coat of ArmsIn this case, Kristen Debra-Lee Spencer challenges an Immediate Roadside Prohibition (IRP) in a Supreme Court Review of an adjudicators decision upholding the IRP on review. Ms. Spencer was issued the IRP for being in care and control of a motor vehicle, having alcohol in her body and refusing to provide a breath sample on the demand of a police officer.

Ramp Metering

Ramp MeteringSome time ago I wrote about watching streams of traffic trying to enter the freeways in and around Vancouver. Platoons of vehicles would move through the acceleration lanes bumper to bumper and everyone would then try and jam themselves into the first gap in the slow lane that they encountered.

Q&A - Left Turn Over Single Solid Line

Q&A ImageOn my way home from dropping my daughter at school I turn left onto my street at an intersection and then need to turn left immediately again as my house is the 1st driveway. I do so over a single yellow line and am often getting honks etc. I don't think they're aware I'm turning into a driveway although I do signal... Am I wrong or are they?