Collisions

Definitely a different video, produced for the Global Road Safety Partnership, uses a character called Steve to demonstrate the hidden dangers on our roads. Worldwide, 1.3 million "Steves" die every year in road incidents, which is the number one cause of death for young people today.

"Speed Kills!" is a popular road safety slogan that we hear often. It's pretty simplistic and when I look around me on the highway I am convinced that drivers either don't believe it or live in a world of denial. Speed alone doesn't kill, but combine it with poor driving skills or a bad decision and it definitely makes a bad situation worse.

A tungsten lamp filament can tell a crash investigator a great deal post collision if you look carefully. Was it on or was it off? The outcome may mean that the headlights were on or that the signal light was never used. This information may be important to the outcome of the investigation.

When I tried to pass a car on the right in a one lane street, the car I was trying to pass hit my rear bumper on the left side.

This case decides liability after a collision between a cyclist and a large commercial truck. Christina MacEachern was riding or walking beside a bicycle along the King George Highway in Surrey, B.C. She was opposing traffic on the shoulder of the roadway which was narrow due to vehicles parked next to it.

Spring ahead this weekend as Daylight Saving Time begins for another year. However, watch out for a lack of spring in your step as you drive to work on Monday morning. The crash rate then is 23% higher than the crash rate of the preceding Monday according to the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation.

This case decides the liability for a collision where a motorcycle overtaking two vehicles is struck when the second vehicle pulled out to pass the first. All three had been following together at a speed under the limit. At the first available opportunity the motorcycle passed, not seeing a signal from the vehicle in front.

The case of Knight v Li examines a collision at the intersection of 41 Avenue and Angus Drive in Vancouver, B.C. Mr. Knight, with a BAC of 168 mg%, was traveling southbound on Angus Drive. Mr. Li was traveling eastbound on 41 Avenue in the curb lane.

It is fortunate that this type of collision is relatively rare because the consequences are severe. I am speaking of driving the wrong way on a divided highway or freeway. We received about one wrong way driving complaint a month on the Inland Island Highway when I was working on B.C. Highway Patrol in Parksville.

In this case, Ms. Kelly was attempting a left turn at an intersection on a multiple lane highway. Mr. Yuen was oncoming and had briefly stopped in the lane two away from the curb, the curb lane being a restricted lane for bus and cycle use only at the time.