DriveSmartBC

The Provincial Court of British Columbia has released a Guide to Disputing a Ticket. The 16 page PDF document expands the information available on the court's Traffic and Bylaws page and is aimed specifically at provincial violation tickets rather than federal or municipal violation tickets. This is applicable to traffic tickets issued under the Motor Vehicle Act and Commercial Transportation Act.

I never know what is going to wind up in the DriveSmartBC e-mail inbox, but it is bound to be entertaining, interesting, thought provoking or just plain letting off steam at an easy target. I read them all, try to reply with reason and civility and often use them as the basis for an article.

Although impaired driving in Canada has generally declined, there are several key considerations to examine in light of bills C-45 and C-46 which warrants concern. At the same time, there are also alternative strategies that can help relieve some of the pressure on the criminal justice system. This analysis underscores that impaired driving is a multi-faceted and complex social issue that remains a relevant public safety concern.

Q: I was heading north on Bellevue Road in Errington and stopped at the stop sign at the Alberni Highway to make a left turn to head west toward Coombs. I was in a left turning lane and turning into the left lane of the highway.

The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General has announced that effective at the end of July, 2018 all 140 intersection safety cameras in our province will be operational at all times. The Intersection Camera Safety Program has also increased its staff to review incidents and process additional tickets in a timely manner.

Twice in the last few days I have found oncoming drivers encroaching on my lane. My thought is that they were either unable or too lazy to bother with staying completely between the lines. In this and other common driving situations, almost is NOT good enough!

Just listened to this great interview between an active defense lawyer and a retired traffic officer.

The case of R v Tannhauser involves the use of a cell phone app that prevents making a cellular phone call while driving. Initially Mr. Tannhauser's defence was successful after receiving a distracted driving ticket but it did not survive after examination in the BC Court of Appeal.

What would happen if you had to pass the ICBC Drive Smart Refresher test before you renewed your driver's licence? More daunting still, what if you had to pass the same test that a Learner Driver has to in order to obtain their licence for the first time? Or, horror of horrors, what if you were actually considered to be an experienced driver who knows much more than the basics and the test was actually made to be challenging?

A topic came up in local Reddit forum today, with an equal split of opinions, both sides being adamant that their approach is correct. When turning left across a median, is it the red line that drivers should take or the blue?