It’s that time of year when summer is coming to an end and the Labour Day Weekend is upon us. That means the start of the school year is only days away.
It’s especially important that drivers pay attention, especially in and around school zones where the volume of cars and traffic will be high during certain periods of the day. Don’t allow frustrations to get the better of you. Know that back to school means additional cars, school buses, and children on roads and sidewalks – so accept it, and build extra time into your schedule to get to your destination.
As a rule of thumb, reduce your speed in residential areas. For those who need a refresher, the speed limit in school zones is 30 kilometres an hour, between the hours of 8 in the morning to 5 in the evening.
Never overtake another vehicle while in a school zone, avoid any three-point turns or U-turns, and obey crossing guards. Some school zones also have flashers – so be prepared to stop and don’t block the crosswalk when making a right turn.
Give a greater amount of distance when you’re behind a school bus so that if the yellow lights start flashing, you’ll have more time to stop. Come to a complete stop when you see a bus displaying flashing red lights or extending its stop arm. Children are often not paying attention when disembarking, so be extra cautious.
If you’re a parent who drops your child off at school, there are several important safety tips to keep in mind. Finding an unloading area can be tough in a crowded school zone, but remember to never double-park. Double-parking blocks visibility for not only other vehicles, but pedestrians as well.
Keep children out of harm’s way by loading and unloading them from the passenger seat’s side. Don’t encourage mid-block crossing if you have to unload from across the street.
Parents, whether your child rides on the school bus, takes a bike to school, walks to school, or gets dropped off, it’s never too early to teach them how to stay safe on the road. Take the time to go through safety rules with children and teens who travel to school by themselves before sending them off to school this fall – and driving safety aside, also remind them not to accept rides from strangers.
Drivers, take extra care and caution and if you have a teen who has recently acquired a drivers’ license, take the time to sit down and reinforce some safe driving tips.
This is an exciting time for little ones, so let’s all be extra cautious to ensure their return to the classroom is a memorable one – for all the right reasons.
For the latest information on car careers in BC’s automotive industry, visit: https://carsandjobs.com/

Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. You can email him at [email protected].

We may be nearing the end of what many would consider the dog days of summer, but that doesn’t mean drivers or cyclists can let their guard down.

In BC, historically, more than 700 cyclists are injured, and seven fatalities occur in auto-related accidents between June and September, each year. So, whether you’re a driver or a cyclist, we all have a role to play in sharing the road responsibly. To that end, we have prepared the following list of tips for drivers and cyclists (which includes many of those available at www.icbc.com) to help keep our roads safe:

Tips for vehicle drivers:

• Watch for cyclists on the road and make eye contact if you can, so they can anticipate your next move.
• Yield to cyclists and signal well in advance if you need to cross a designated bike lane or pull over to the side of the road.
• Shoulder check for cyclists before turning right, and watch for oncoming cyclists before turning left. Likewise, scan for cyclists before you enter the roadway from an alley or getting in and out of a parking spot.
• Both drivers and passengers must shoulder check for cyclists before opening doors.
• Maintain at least three seconds behind cyclists and at least one metre when passing a cyclist.

Tips for cyclists:

• Wearing an approved bicycle helmet that meets safety standards is the law in B.C.
• Make sure you are legal – in some cities like Metro Vancouver, a bell or horn is required to communicate with other road users.
• Be extra visible with reflective gear on your bicycle pedals and wheels, and lights when riding after dark.
• Use designated bike routes whenever possible – they’re safer and reduce conflicts with vehicle traffic.
• If there’s no bike lane, keep to the right-hand side of the road as much as it’s safe to do so.
• Make sure you obey all traffic signs and signals and rules of the road.
• Be aware of people in vehicles as well as taxis to avoid getting hit by an opening door. It’s best to keep at least once metre away from parked vehicles.
• Before making any turns, shoulder check and hand signal in advance. Remember, drivers sometimes fail to yield right-of-way.
• Ride distraction-free. Don’t use mobile devices or headphones while cycling (if you must, use just one earbud so you be alert to sirens or horns).
• Communicate: Always use hand signals when turning, slowing down or stopping; before passing other road users, shoulder check and use your bell, or your voice.
• According to the BC Motor Vehicle Act, although riding side by side is legal on the shoulder of highways, it is recommended that side-by-side cycling be limited to roadways that have wide shoulders

One final thought – please observe posted speed limits and use caution in highway construction zones where flaggers are simply trying to do their job. Let’s do our part to ensure the summer months come to an end without needless injury.

For the latest information on car careers in BC’s automotive industry, visit: https://carsandjobs.com/

Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. You can email him at [email protected].

By Blair Qualey

In a matter of days, a new vehicle insurance model in British Columbia will come into effect that may have an impact on your premium, based on your driving record.

ICBC is moving to a basic insurance model September 1 that is more driver-based. This means crashes follow the driver, not the vehicle, to help make sure drivers are more accountable for their behaviour on the road.

The Insurance Corporation estimates approximately three-quarters of its customers will be better off than today, with many seeing a decrease to their overall premiums. However, for those with frequent or serious driving condition, they will soon start paying more.

So how will the changes work?

Driving convictions from June 10th, 2019, going forward will have the potential to impact a customer’s optional premium, which will escalate in line with the frequency and seriousness of criminal offences. ICBC will ultimately scan back over a three-year period for driving convictions by June 10th, 2022. As a result, Criminal Code offences, impaired driving, excessive speeding and distracted driving, will result in increased premiums after the first conviction. Minor offences such as failing to stop, failing to yield, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt will only result in increased premiums if there are two or more convictions during the scan period.

Today, 10 percent of customers have either two or more minor driving convictions or have been convicted of a serious driving offence over the past three years, yet they pay the same for optional coverage as a customer with no convictions. Factoring in convictions when calculating optional insurance premiums aims to provide drivers with a financial incentive to improve their driving behaviour by avoiding higher premiums.

To ensure customers are informed about the changes coming to both basic and optional auto insurance, ICBC has expanded the content on its website. Visit  www.icbc.com for more details. It has also created an online education tool at the same site, so drivers understand how the new insurance model may potentially impact them.

Other changes also include the introduction of two new discounts this September, that drivers and new car shoppers should keep in mind.

The first involves 10 percent relief for vehicles with original, manufacturer-installed autonomous emergency braking (AEB). The system uses sensors to determine if a front-end collision may be imminent and automatically applies the brakes to diminish the severity or avoid a crash entirely. While not intended to be relied on, it’s meant as a last resort in the event the driver isn’t paying attention.

ICBC has also announced a similar 10 percent discount will be applied to vehicles that are driven less than 5,000 kilometres a year – again, effective this September. If you think you may qualify, bring a current odometer reading to your broker the next time you renew your insurance.

Over the coming months, there is bound to be a great deal of commentary about the new model, but the premise of the changes – based on fairness and an equitable model for all – is one that most British Columbians likely agree with.

For the latest information on car careers in BC’s automotive industry, visit: https://carsandjobs.com/

Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. You can email him at [email protected].