Q&A - Golf Cars and Electric Wheelchairs on the Highways

As far as I am aware very few, if any, of the electric golf cars or electric sidewalk conveyances that cross or use our streets are neither licensed nor qualified to be licensed. They are therefore not insured for Liability nor Property damage by ICBC. As they are not Motor Vehicles as defined in the Insurance Motor Vehicle act a victim resulting from their negligent operation may not qualify to claim under the Uninsured Motorist  provisions of the Act. [These technical statements are only my opinion and require current varification as I retired from Insurance many years ago and my opinions may be out of date]  For instance one exception for claiming entilement under the Uninsured Motorists provisions may be if the victim held a BC Drivers License. I believe whether or not the operator of the Uninsured vehicle, held a BC Drivers License would be immaterial. He would still not qualify as an Insured.

At Crown Isle most of those who can afford a golf car probably also own a home or Condo and therefore would have Personal Liability Insurance under their Homowners policy which would apply if they ran over and injured someone on the Golf Course. However there is an exclusion under Homeowners policies for use or operation of a vehicle required by law to be licensed. All vehicles on the street are required by law to be licensed, whether they qualify to be licensed or not. So a Homeowners policy would not respond.

All these things came to mind when I moved a few months ago. I regularly see an older gentleman driving his elec conveyance, probably on the way to the Seniors Center or the shopping center. He always drives on the street. I have never seen him use the sidewalk. I recently saw him driving at dusk. He might have struck a child darting out of a driveway.

So besides the Motor Vehicle Act infactions that I assume these operators are in breach of there is the uninsured aspect of what they are doing which troubles me. The majority of them may have no idea that they are driving illegally  and may not have considered the very serious Civil ramifications of having an MVA without Insurance.

It is my assumption that our Traffic Enforcement Officers do not have time to police these irregularities. However I feel that ICBC have all the facilities neccessary to make the public aware of what I perceive to be serious potential problems for innocent drivers and victims.

No doubt you have opinions about all of this and you may decide to take it on and try to get it fixed. If nothing else at all is done then  I think at least Notices of some sort should be posted in the Pro Shops and Senior Citizens Lounges.