Driver Licencing

Information related to driver's licences.

"N" Drivers Forever!

New Driver N SignDoes a novice driver have to take the test to become a fully licensed class 5 driver? While there is a limited time that a novice must remain in the Graduated Licensing Program there is currently no limit on the other end of the scale. "N" drivers forever!

Of course, remaining a novice driver comes at a cost. You must abide by all of the restrictions listed on the back of your licence.

Penalty Points

penalty points"I'll pay the fine, I just don't want the points." This is not an uncommon desire expressed by drivers prior to a traffic court hearing when asked how they want to proceed. If the violation ticket was issued with the accused identified as the driver, penalty points follow the conviction as night follows day. There is no escaping them.

CBC MARKETPLACE - Commercial Driver Licensing

Truck Tractor and TrailerCBC's Marketplace has produced a program on commercial driver licensing in Canada. Their driver earned his commercial driver's licence in Saskatchewan and then failed the test for the same licence category in Ontario. At issue is the varying level of skill necessary to obtain a commercial driver's licence across the provinces.

Testing a Driver's Knowledge at Licence Renewal

Question MarkWhat would happen if you had to pass the ICBC Drive Smart Refresher test before you renewed your driver's licence? More daunting still, what if you had to pass the same test that a Learner Driver has to in order to obtain their licence for the first time? Or, horror of horrors, what if you were actually considered to be an experienced driver who knows much more than the basics and the test was actually made to be challenging?

Q & A - New Driver Supervisor is Prohibited from Driving

Q&A ImageQ: If a novice driver is accompanied by someone over 25 who has a full class 5 license but is currently serving a 90 day immediate roadside prohibition, are they within the law? Does this count as an appropriate "Supervisor" ?

CASE LAW - Winthrope v Superintendent of Motor Vehicles

BC Courts Coat of ArmsMarika Winthrope obtained her class 7 novice driver's licence in 2012. Due to the cost, she never attempted to obtain her full class 5 licence. In 2015 she received a speeding ticket and what the court surmised was a one month prohibition resulting from it in 2016.

ICBC - Take the Test

ICBC LogoToday's hopeful new drivers must take a computer based knowledge test and pass with a score of at least 80% correct in order to obtain a learner's licence. Contrast that with the 20 question A or B test that I took when I was 16 or my mother who simply paid for her licence and then learned to drive!

Q&A - Driver's Licence for 15 Passenger Van

Q&A ImageI would like to use a 15 Passenger Van for a pleasure use trip and am wondering if a class 5 license is valid for this use? I have read CCMTA guidelines for the use of 15-Passenger Vans and it seems that for pleasure use a class 5 license is valid. But I'd like to confirm.

The Enhanced Road Assessment

key with car in backgroundThe new year will bring changes to how drivers are re-examined to insure that they are safe to continue to drive. Current DriveABLE testing will be replaced by an Enhanced Road Assessment (ERA) that will be administered by ICBC at no cost. The ERA has been developed by RoadSafetyBC after surveying driver re-testing in other jurisdictions and is aimed at providing greater transparency for participants.

VIEWPOINT - Too Easy To Get A Class 1

SoapboxOnce upon a time, there was a 33 year old guy in town, who decided he wanted to get a class 1 license. Since I have trucks, and my instructors certification, (albeit from...Alberta) he asked me if I would spend some time with him while he drove one of my trucks.

I ended up going out 4 times with him, 2 to 3 hours each time.

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