Government

News Item: Ontario introducing $50,000 fines for careless drivers causing death (Globe and Mail, September 20, 2017).

Bill 158, Protecting Vulnerable Road Users Act, 2017 will implement significant consequences for drivers who break the listed rules and cause serious injury or death. The penalties include a mandatory probation order that will require the driver to take a driving instruction course and perform community service. The community service must include activity related to improving driving safety and public education on driving safety. Their driver’s licence will be suspended during the probation.

William Eller represented the Aspen Road Community's interests in this action against the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's (MOTI) proposed changes to the Malahat Highway intersection serving their area. The action was taken because the residents felt that the MOTI failed to incorporate their concerns into the improvement project. An injunction was requested to prevent the changes being made until the safest design for the affected area was determined in full consultation with the residents.

When the Government of Canada put an end to the use of oil based paint for marking highway lines in 2010 the durability that we had come to expect ended. Since that time the Ministry of Transportation and Transit has been searching for and testing suitable replacements.

Our provincial driving manual Learn to Drive Smart devotes an entire chapter to the concept of See - Think - Do Method. See: The pedestrian waiting to cross the street in the intersection. Think: There are no lines painted on the pavement, but it is an unmarked crosswalk and I have to stop for the pedestrian. Do: Yield the right of way to the pedestrian and allow them to cross the street.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has announced the implementation of Pilot Car Load Movement Guidelines to regulate the safe movement of oversize vehicles on B.C.'s highways. Part of the Traffic Management Manual for Work on Highways, it also describes new temporary signs with a fluorescent pink background to warn of an emergency situation. In this case an example might be an overwidth load stopped so that it obstructed a lane of travel. It would be up to the pilot car operator to place the sign appropriately to warn approaching traffic.

Would you care to volunteer a sample of saliva to test for drug use? This question might soon be part of a drug impaired driving investigation in Vancouver.

A survey of municipalities in 2015 found that they were interesting in having more knowledge on road safety planning, safety designs, and strategies. The toolkit will be built and distributed as part of the province's Vision Zero initiative and is intended for all agencies with a mandate related to road safety.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has released it's final report on the safety of motor coach transportation in the province.

Ouch! My ICBC insurance rates are going up as much as 42% over the next five years according to an article in the Province newspaper. I already paid $630 this year for the privilege of having my fellow British Columbians help me pay for collision liability if I make a mistake and crash my pickup. I’m not looking forward to paying $895 in 2021, but when you consider how much you could be on the hook for if you didn’t have insurance, even that doesn’t look too bad.