DriveSmartBC

I watched the driver on either side of me this morning on my way to work. We were stopped waiting for a red light to turn green and I could see that both of them were totally focused on the that light. Neither one of them moved their heads and immediately started off when the light turned green. What a wonderful example of blind faith!

The case of Petes v Petersen illustrates the dangers of making a lane change at or near an intersection. The collision that gave rise to this occurred at the intersection of Marshall Road and Guilford Drive in Abbotsford. James Petersen was driving his Ford Fusion westbound on Marshall and Laszlo Petes was driving his Suzuki pickup southbound on Guilford, turning right onto Marshall.

Six small towns in British Columbia have been singled out for their leadership in Active Transportation. Burns Lake, Duncan, Gibsons, Nelson, Powell River and Rossland were examined for their efforts in promoting Active Transportation. The resulting report aims to assist other communities to improve Active Transportation within their boundaries by explaining the success of the six.

According to Tuning Up For Drivers on page 102, passing other vehicles is a manoeuvre that should be used sparingly. If you’re behind a vehicle that’s going well below the speed limit, you may want to pass. But if it’s not very far to where you plan to turn off, then passing may not be smart.

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) has released a study on the Impact of the Pandemic on Road Safety & Mobility. The 17 page fact sheet examines the effects of the pandemic on the road safety attitudes, beliefs and practices of Canadians and the information that it contains was gathered from an on line survey consisting of a random representative sample.

Anti-lock brakes (ABS) have gone from being a novelty to being present on most vehicles today. Have you read and understood the section of your vehicle owner's manual on this vital safety system? Contrary to popular belief, ABS does not always mean shorter stopping distances.

Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine reports an example of two B.C. employers receiving significant penalties for vehicle safety violations. Qualified Contractors Limited of Surrey and BNN Enterprises Limited of Pitt Meadows both failed to properly maintain farm worker transportation vehicles.

Kimberly Hrynyk pulled into a Starbucks in Victoria. She used her cellphone to place an order only to discover that the business was closed for the day. Ms. Hrynyk left the parking lot via Tillicum Road.

A man I observed in a parking lot started me thinking about how little care we sometimes take for our own safety when we are pedestrians. I was preparing to back out of my parking spot and had put my truck in reverse, then did a scan to the rear before I started letting up on the clutch. A male crossing behind me did not slow or even bother to look to see what my intentions were.