Information on specific vehicle equipment.
The following photo is an example of how a well intended vehicle customization can impact safety. The covers over the rear lens assemblies of this pickup have completely obscured the reflectors and significantly reduced the effectiveness of brake and tail lights, particularly in the daytime.
Without a doubt, one of the most popular topic suggestions that I receive has to do with vehicle lighting. Either they are not being replaced when burned out, aren't being used properly (or at all) by drivers or are causing problems because of brightness or colour.
Recently I was coming back from the ski hill and got a rock chip in my windshield that has started to crack and spider. I know there is a violation ticket that may be written for a cracked windshield. I plan on getting it changed in the spring after the roads are swept because I don't really want to spend $200 dollars to have a windshield changed on the chance it may get hit with another rock.
Buying a set of used tires can be economical, but it can also hold hidden hazards that would make them much less than a bargain. Not only do you have to insure that the tires are safe to use, you have to make sure that they are safe to use with your vehicle's Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) as well.
This TyreSafe video from the UK is equally valid here in British Columbia. Well, except for the 20p coin tread depth test of course! It urges you to consider the condition of your tires monthly, or at least prior to every long trip. In addition to what to check, it adds information on how tires can affect your ability to operate your vehicle safely.
The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) reports that using winter tires during the winter months can increase the possibility of avoiding a costly collision. The challenge researchers discovered was getting drivers to use winter tires. The report looks at existing Canadian and international research on the efficacy of winter tires and their potential effects.
If my vehicle was originally equipped with driver's airbag(s) and the ARS is deployed in a collision, etc. and the vehicle is repaired, do I have to replace the ARS in order to legally operate the vehicle? Or can I drive without ARS?
No doubt this morning was an intensely exciting one for a driver that I passed by. She had obviously done some panicked steering on the rain soaked highway judging from the marks in the median and the amount of grass and mud in the fast lane. Others had already stopped to help and aside from being stuck in the median she and her vehicle appeared relatively unharmed.
Question: 
I am purchasing a set of winter tires and rims for my truck. It comes standard with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). I have read that according to the US DOT it is mandatory in new vehicles since 2007. However Transport Canada's answer seems to be less specific and refers to the individual provinces licensing for "regulations" regarding TPMS.
Of all the accessories purchased for our vehicles, lights and reflectors seem to be the most common. I've written about it frequently here on the site as many people's choices are based on "cool" instead of safe, proper and legal. The Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement web site has posted a link to a document that is a guide to the inspection and approval of lights and reflectors.