Information related to driver's licences.
Many people mistakenly call an International Driving Permit (IDP) an International Driver's License. Their belief is that the IDP alone allows them to drive here at home and abroad, perhaps even when they do not hold a valid driver's license or they are prohibited from driving.
Regardless of the fact that I paid $75 to renew my driver's license, it isn't mine. In fact, it states on the back of the license that "This card remains the property of the issuing agency and must be surrendered upon request." If that request is made or the law requires its return there is no refund of fees and you must give it back.
A friend of mine let his 13 year old daughter drive his car on the streets of our town! What are the implications if she got in an accident?
Question: My teen is an irresponsible driver and I am concerned enough at the danger they present to themselves and others that I want to withdraw my consent for them to have a driver's licence. How do I do that?
"I've got 24 hours to produce it, don't I?" and "It doesn't matter, I know my licence number." had to be the two most common responses I received when I stopped someone that wasn't carrying their driver's licence with them. Yes, you may know the number, but if my past experience is any indication, most of you don't know a lot of the other details such as class, expiry date, restrictions or even your security keyword!
The Driver Improvement Program sounds like something designed to increase a driver's skills and make them a safer, more accomplished operator of a motor vehicle. That isn't the case however, it is the Superintendent of Motor Vehicle's way of telling you that you are an unsatisfactory driver and that a prohibition from driving may be in your future.
Aspiring new drivers were in the news this week. ICBC says that the number of driving tests conducted on Vancouver Island in May 2023 increased by 22% over normal monthly levels. Unfortunately, almost half of the hopeful licence candidates failed their test.
Taking your neighbour's request at face value turned out to be an expensive lesson for Jessica. She had loaned her vehicle to a neighbour and somewhere along the journey the neighbour met up with the police. The neighbour was a vehicle impound candidate because they didn't have a valid driver's license.
This case provides a clear look at how the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles in British Columbia decides who is fit to stay behind the wheel. In Ahmad v. British Columbia, the court explains why a driver's licence cancellation was upheld despite the driver’s appeal.
Driver's licence restrictions are used to restrict the operation of motor vehicles until the driver gains sufficient experience in their operation to have them removed. They are also used in the case of a medical condition or functional deficit. Restrictions may be imposed by either RoadSafetyBC or ICBC depending on the situation.