Always Use Your Parking Brake! By Shaun de Jager
Shaun de Jager is a trained race car driver, a road safety educator, and a valuable blogger on road safety issues. As a dedicated specialist, he works to make our roads safer through advanced driver training and education. With Shaun’s help, you can take classes such as: upgrading your driving skills, driver rehabilitation, shifting from […]
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Drivers Beware: Of Ghost And Goblins
There are countless news stories and blogs dedicated to Halloween safety for children who will be out trick or treating. But drivers beware, it is the little rascals that you need to be on the look out for. Halloween is a time to trick or treat, but it can also be a little road of […]
Read ArticleDo ICBC Driver Penalty Points Affect My ICBC Insurance Premium?
Last week we wrote about ICBC Driver Penalty points. But does getting penalty points and the payment premium affect my annual insurance premiums? The answer is yes and no. Confused yet? The actual points do not affect your insurance premiums as Driver Penalty Points and Driver Risk Premiums are separate from Autoplan insurance premiums, but […]
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What Are ICBC Driver Penalty Points?
ICBC driver penalty points is a very hot topic in British Columbia. It just keeps coming up over and over again. Why is that? I believe it is because the topic is uncomfortable. It is associated with a negative experience, shame, cops, tickets, and outgoing cash. On top of all of that, it’s a complicated […]
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Right To Bike Has Vancouver City Support
A couple of weeks ago, I opened the Vancouver Metro paper and to my delight the front-page story (after the front page ad), was “Fast Lane To Safe Cycling”. The story outlines the initiative by ICBC and the BC Cycling Coalition (BCCC) to implement a province-wide bike-training program. In addition, the Right to Bike was […]
Read ArticleHands-Free Devices: Legal, But Are They Safe?
In British Columbia, the law allows for the use of hands-free devices while driving a motor vehicle. But statistics show that this is a very unsafe activity. A person talking on a mobile phone, whether hands free or not, is 4 times more likely to crash. According to research, and explained by David Teater, the […]
Read ArticleA Split Second Can Last Forever
Alex, the husband of one of my best friends has a saying, “Your life is measured in seconds and inches (ok, should be centimeters, but doesn’t have the same impact). The first time I heard him say that I didn’t really take it to heart, but after participating in many presentations by Drop It And […]
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A Mother’s Grief: A Child Lost To A Drunk Driver Never Comes Home
November marked a month of remembrance and recognition to victims of drunk and distracted driving. The real life stories are heart breaking and if we all remember these stories whenever we take the wheel, there will be no more distracted or drunk driving. Drop It And Drive hosted a memorial event at Sullivan Heights High […]
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Accessing Resources To Manage Chronic Pain After A Car Accident
By Cathryn Morgan Are you dealing with chronic pain after a car accident? Are you struggling, and feeling overwhelmed? Statistics paint the picture with broad brush strokes, but chronic pain patients live the reality, applying a myriad of coping strategies to deal with the physical, emotional and psychological implications of living every day with a […]
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The Ubiquitous Lane Change
Next to the lowly signal light, which I wrote about last week, another road safety rule that so many people abuse is the correct way to change or enter a lane. The lines or road markings are there for a reason! They may be solid, broken, white or yellow. Each of those specific characteristics communicates […]
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The Wave Of Death: When Polite Can Get You Killed
It is kind of you to wave me through the intersection or through a roundabout or at the crosswalk, but if the wave is contradictory or unpredictable to anyone else on the road, that polite gesture could get me or someone else killed. In the world of personal injury lawyers they call that the “wave […]
Read ArticleRight-Hand Drive: Will Right-Hand Drive Vehicles Survive In Canada?
Part Two Currently in Canada, there is a small contingent of brokers who import Right-Hand Drive (RHD) vehicles and facilitate repairs and access to parts. The support structure for RHD vehicle owners in Canada, however, is small and widely scattered. So before buying an RHD, make sure you have a local supplier and a mechanic […]
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Driver Training Taken To A Whole New Level
The BC Driving Center and Driving Unlimited Academy takes driver training to a whole new level. Located in Pitt Meadows this private facility offers a variety of driver training courses from the novice to the experienced car enthusiast. At 15, I started to learn to drive in my brother-in-law’s big pick up truck. I could […]
Read ArticleAggressive Driving – Where Are Your Manners?
I drive every day in the city (of Vancouver). Each time, I am shocked and outraged by the lack of respect drivers show towards others when they are in a moving vehicle. My particular pet peeves include drivers who fail to use a signal light, do not let other drivers merge, and are completely unaware […]
Read ArticleICBC Penalty Points
Recently the BC government made changes to the Motor Vehicle Act that came into effect September 20, 2010. There is a lot of jargon related to penalty points, insurance premiums and driver risk premiums. But what does this all mean? If you receive a violation ticket in BC – and the violation list is quite […]
Read ArticleNew Laws Address Dangerous Driving Behavior In BC – Confiscation, ICBC Risk Premiums, Penalty Points And Hefty Fines Implemented
Changes to the BC Motor Vehicle Act will come into affect on September 20th, 2010. BC’s worst offenders: those who drive impaired and those who drive at excessive speeds will see significant changes in fines and consequences. One major change is the new, roadside-issued, 90-day driving bans state police officers will no longer need to […]
Read ArticleWhat’s Up With The Right-Hand-Drive?
Until recently, the only right-hand-drive (RHD) cars seen in Canada were vintage versions of British imports like MGs, Morrises, Austins and Hillmans. But RHD cars are growing in popularity here, with ICBC reporting that some 200 of these vehicles are imported into British Columbia every month, mostly from Japan. So, why the popularity and why […]
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