Moving to British Columbia

BC FlagQ: I would like to know about people who move to B.C. from other provinces but still maintain their license plates and driver's licence from their previous address. How much time does one have to get their new B.C. licences after they become a resident? What if the car they are driving is not theirs and belongs to their family in the other province?

White, Yellow & Red Only!

Colored Lights under a vehicleI've got a suggestion: colour of exterior lights and reflectors. Lots of kids replace amber bulbs with blue, red ones with clear, red lenses with clear, amber reflectors with green, bulbs with LEDs, etc. I get a lot of heartbreaking letters from parents, "My kid just got a ticket...are blue parking lights really illegal?!"

Preventative Maintenance

Car RepairWould you do a column on the importance of vehicle maintenance? Not only regarding upkeep of tires, fluids, brakes, or suspension, but also the importance of regularly checking to ensure all the lights on the vehicle are clean and in good working order.

What to do After a Crash

Collision PhotoFortunately for us all, the majority of collisions in British Columbia don't involve injury or death. Rather they leave us feeling foolish and facing a significant dollar amount of property damage. How do you protect yourself in the event of a collision like this, especially since the police may not attend property damage or minor injury crashes?

Drop in Fatal Collisions

IIHS LogoA recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests that the declining death rate in vehicle crashes since 1994 is due to the protection provided by improvements in automotive design. It is not due to enforcement, changes in highway design standards or increased driver competence. It comments on our increasingly hazardous traffic environment and cautions against the increased travel speeds favoured by today's drivers.

Stopping in Intersections

Stopping at IntersectionIn Penticton there is a left hand turning lane from Fairview Road onto the Channel Parkway. Industrial Avenue intersects Fairview Road close to that intersection. Often if there is a line up of cars in the left hand turning lane, some will leave a space for cars to go through from Industrial onto Fairview. I wondered if this is what you are supposed to do or if this just makes it more dangerous because those passing through onto Fairview may not be able to see traffic from the other lane on Fairview.

Helmets

Motorcycle HelmetIs there a difference between the helmet laws which make it law to wear a helmet on a bicycle,and the wearing of one on a motorcycle? The reason I ask is that I ride both a motorcycle and a bicycle.