CASE LAW - R v Berner

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThis is the provincial court decision rendered by Judge P.D. Gulbranson finding Carol Ann Berner guilty of all charges arising out of the death of Alexa Middelaer and the serious injuries caused to her aunt, Daphne Middelaer.

Self Preservation

Road RageTwenty years of traffic policing has left me wondering if today is the day that another driver will involve me in a crash. I seem to be asking myself this more and more often as I observe the behaviour of other drivers around me. Driving is probably the largest risk that I take in my life right now.

Q&A - Stop Sign & Traffic Light

Stop SignRecently I have been given a ticket for not stopping on a stop sign at an intersection equipped with a pedestrian controlled light while it was green. I live in Vancouver and could say that such intersections exist everywhere and almost every driver in the city is aware of the problem.

CASE LAW - Blackburn v HMQ, RCMP and Leyh

BC Courts Coat of ArmsThe case of Blackburn v HMTQ, RCMP and Leyh occurred at the intersection of Ferry Avenue and Highway 16 West in Prince George. A member of the RCMP was responding to a rollover collision with injuries when he proceeded through a red light at low speed and collided with a car driven by a deaf person who passed by other traffic that was stopped to allow the police vehicle to clear the intersection.

READING - The Road Safety Monitor, Large Trucks in Canada

TIRF New LogoMany Canadian drivers do not believe driver training programs for passenger vehicles provide adequate education about sharing the road with large trucks.

The survey conducted in September and October of 2009 found that 62.4% of respondents did not believe training is adequate. Another 20.2% of respondents simply answered they did not know whether training is adequate or not.

Driving Attitude

Exclamation"Haven't you got anything better to do?" This was a common response from drivers after being told that they had been stopped for a traffic rule infraction. "Why aren't you out catching real criminals?"

A Good Idea for the On Ramp

Broken White LineI've always wondered about the driver in the far left lane as I used the on ramp to enter a freeway. Would they change lanes to the right while I was trying to join the flow of fast moving traffic by moving into the same lane from the left? Not everyone bothers to signal their lane changes and having to move out of the lane before it ends adds to my complications.

Watch Out For Number Two!

Police VehicleI am guessing that most people see the code 3 operation of an emergency vehicle as something that would be exciting or thrilling. From my own experience I can say that this feeling quickly wears off and a sense of responsibility settles in. The lights and siren provide no protection for you or anyone else on the highways and the speeds involved expose us all to danger.