Are You The Designated Driver Or Rider?
It’s a typical Saturday night; you meet some friends, have a few drinks, and hop in the car with a designated driver to ensure a safe ride home. As you pull up to a roadblock, you’re expecting the police officer to give you a pat on the back for being responsible. Only instead he impounds […]
Read ArticleCorrectly Adjusted Headrest Can Prohibit Severe Whiplash In A Car Accident
We know how important our pillow is to preventing neck strain, but the proper use of a well- engineered headrest can dramatically reduce the injury caused from whiplash in a car accident. Whiplash, also known as neck sprain or strain, is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck. It is caused by sudden […]
Read ArticleICBC Car Accident Claims & Wage Loss: A Case Study
If you have been in a car accident in BC, have been injured and are unable to work you may be entitled to wage loss compensation. There are two types of categories of wage loss that we will discuss. Past Wage Loss Past wage loss is more properly seen as a combination of actual lost […]
Read ArticleShould You Have A Lawyer Present When You Meet With An ICBC Car Accident Adjuster?
If you have been in a car accident in BC, your first interactions post accident may be with the ICBC claims department. The interesting thing about car accident insurance in BC is that it is run by a monopoly. Although, you would think your adjuster is on your side, they are also on the side […]
Read ArticleTop 5 Driving Tips To Avoid A Car Accident While Driving In Vancouver & The Lower Mainland
The headlines have been screaming weekly about hit and run accidents in Vancouver and the lower mainland, some of them fatal. Good driving skills and manners are universal, but each region in Canada has it’s own challenges when it comes to avoiding accidents. Here are 5 driving tips to keep you safe on Vancouver and […]
Read ArticleSaying Sorry At The Scene Of An Accident – Will It Affect My ICBC Claim?
Canadians are known to be polite, almost too polite. We apologize for everything. Even at the scene of a car accident, our first thoughts are to say sorry – even when it isn’t our fault. If you are in a car accident in BC that is not your fault, and you hop out of the […]
Read ArticleFive Things Not To Do When Settling An ICBC Claim
If you’ve been in a car accident in BC, you’ll find that dealing with ICBC is a fairly unique situation when settling your ICBC car accident claim. There are only three provinces in Canada (including BC) with a government run car insurance monopoly. This insurance system creates some challenges to anyone trying to settle their […]
Read ArticleICBC Offered A Settlement, But How Much Is My ICBC Claim Worth?
Many people come to us and say “ICBC offered a settlement, but “how much is my ICBC claim worth“? It’s a million dollar question and in some car accident claims in British Columbia, it’s literally the answer too. But estimating the cash value of an ICBC claim is not an easy task, and not something […]
Read ArticleSenior Driving: Renewing Your License With ICBC
Driving is a life skill that requires preparation, practice, and precision. After years on the road, those of us reaching our golden years may feel as though we’re seasoned experts behind the wheel. But even a lifetime of driving and zero ICBC points can’t prepare you for the toll that aging takes on us. As […]
Read ArticleSlow Down & Move Over – Protecting BC Emergency Workers
Over 400 emergency workers in BC have been injured or killed on BC roads. The scene of a car accident is one of the most dangerous places for first responders such as police officers, fire and ambulance personnel, tow truck operators, special police constables, conservation officers and park rangers. It is disturbing to know that […]
Read ArticleWho Has The Right-Of-Way – Pedestrians Or Cars?
In the Vancouver 24 News (April 17, 2013) last week, there was an awesome observation by Keri Potipcoe regarding the rights of pedestrians. As she states, technically a pedestrian does have the right of way, but is it common sense to just step off the curb in front of a car? Of course not. But […]
Read ArticleFive Essential Things NOT To Do At The Scene Of A Car Accident
It is always good to be prepared for an accident. Having a checklist of action steps can help you know what is most important to do at a car-accident scene. But just as important, it is what you don’t do at the scene that can be most beneficial. As I posted last week, if anyone […]
Read ArticleTop Five Things To Do After Leaving A Crash Site
Once the adrenaline that comes with being in a car accident dies down, a car-accident victim is left to deal with the realities of the situation: possible injuries, car repairs, medical attention and insurance. It can be very overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you make it through the first 48 hours after […]
Read ArticleLeft Curb Parallel Parking Made Easy
My sister always marvels at my ability to parallel park. But being a big city driver I have had a lot of practice. What I still find awkward is the reverse left curb parallel park. Driving manuals and online instructions usually state to take the format of right curb parallel parking and just reverse the […]
Read ArticleRight Parallel Parking Made Easy
Recently, I came across a good short video on how to parallel park. It seems like reverse parallel parking is one of those dreaded driving skills that many people do not like to practice. Like anything, practice makes perfect. One of the key factors to successful parallel parking is to know your vehicle and to […]
Read ArticleThe Single-Vehicle Accident And ICBC Coverage
A single vehicle collision or single-vehicle accident is a type of road traffic collision in which only one vehicle is involved. Included in this category are run-off-road collisions, collisions with fallen rocks or debris in the road, rollover crashes within the roadway, and collisions with animals. If you are involved in an accident of this […]
Read ArticleThe Spare Tire
We don’t think about it often, but the spare tire is a critical safety feature in a car. Having a flat tire or a blowout can be a rattling experience. When a tire unexpectantly fails, you need to stay calm and get your car to the roadside safely. A blowout can mean only one thing: […]
Read ArticleRCMP Launch Targeted Enforcement For Distracted Driving
BC RCMP traffic services will not be showing any love this month to distracted drivers. February is Distracted Driving Month in British Columbia. Preliminary motor vehicle statistics for 2012 indicate that 30% of fatalities and 37% of serious injuries involved distracted driving. Since January of 2010, police in British Columbia issued 105,972 violation tickets for […]
Read ArticleMore Pedestrians Get Killed In Vancouver Than All Other Road Users
The City of Vancouver launched a safety program called: People are Fragile. It is an excellent campaign to raise awareness of the all too common bad behaviours by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians that can have potentially fatal consequences. Even though there have been several safety campaigns launched by the city, police, Preventable.ca and Drop It […]
Read ArticleTire Maintenance For Your Driving Safety
Did you know that vehicle tires are a critical element to road safety? In order for tires to perform safely, they need regular maintenance. If not maintained, tires can suddenly fail and cause you to lose control of the vehicle. A number of years ago, I was driving down Highway 1 on my way to […]
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