The proper position for turning at an intersection

A turn for the best

Photo: Google

"Tell them they need to be in the proper lane before they turn" wrote a reader.

Equally important is the need to end up in the proper lane after turning. Attention to detail here provides for a smooth flow of traffic and less chance of being involved in a collision.

The definition of roadway is important to this discussion. That is the portion of the highway that is improved, designed or ordinarily used for traffic but does not include the shoulder. In the case of a paved highway, it is the portion between the lines or, in the case where there is no line on the right side, between the lines and the edges of the pavement.

Drivers intending to turn right at an intersection must approach and make the turn as close as possible to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway.

Drivers intending to turn left at an intersection must approach in the lane nearest to the centre line keeping to the right of that line, turn to the left at the centre of the intersection, and leave the intersection to the right of the centre line.

Turns made to leave the highway at places other than an intersection require the driver approach the turn in the same manner as turns made at intersections.

In all the cases outlined above, the driver will be in the first lane available to the intended direction of travel when the turn is completed.

Some larger intersections have more than one lane for a left or right turn. A common mistake is to turn directly into lanes other than those designated.

Decide which of the two turn lanes you need to use as you approach the intersection. After making your choice, you always exit the intersection in the same lane you entered it in.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Important to be visible when walking on roads at night

Dress to be seen after dark

Photo: Castanet file

Few people leave their homes without paying some attention to how they are dressed.

When we choose our clothing to suit our personality, are we thinking about how we will appear to other road users when we are pedestrians after dark? The right choice of clothing for your next walk at night could be critical.

About two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities occur at night. That is probably because research indicates pedestrians can be very difficult for drivers to see after dark. A pedestrian in dark clothing at night will not be seen in time to stop if the driver is using low beam headlights and travelling faster than 60 kilometres per hour.

There is a five-year average (June 2024) of 54 pedestrians killed and 2,266 pedestrians injured in crashes on B.C. roads each year. ICBC does not include time of day data for those crashes on its website.

We tend to underestimate the fact we are difficult to see in the dark. Our ability to recognize something decreases rapidly with falling light levels and drivers need it to find and identify pedestrians.

Visual guidance abilities, such as walking through a darkened room remain effective, lulling us into thinking we are more visible than we really are. Critically, we may overestimate by as much as triple the safe distance.

How do you increase your chances of being seen and be identified as a pedestrian?

A reflective vest is better than dark clothing but reflective material positioned at the major joints of the body (ankles, knees, waist, shoulders, elbows and wrists) is even better. That will show "biological motion" and allow the driver to identify you as human far more quickly.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Use caution when there's water on the road

Wet weather driving

Photo: trafficlogix.com

Welcome to wet weather season in British Columbia.

Some areas are blessed with this situation more often than others, but drivers need to be aware of the perils of wet highways. The well-being of you and other road users depend on it.

Wet pavement alone can increase stopping distances by more than 10%. Water acts as a lubricant on the road surface and reduces traction. Add any dust and oil that might be present at the beginning of a rainfall and the highway could be very slippery until it is washed away.

It makes sense to turn on all of your vehicle's lights in times of poor visibility. Even if you don't need the light to see by, it makes you much more easily seen by other drivers.

Now is a great time to increase your following distance to four or five seconds. That extra time to slow or stop could come in handy. Remember, reduced traction also means a reduced ability to steer.

Hydroplaning is the situation where your tires are actually riding on top of a film of water on the asphalt. They are not in contact with the pavement and your vehicle will neither steer nor brake in this situation.

To escape, lift your foot off the accelerator and coast in a straight line bleeding off speed until your tires are in contact with the road surface again. Then steer or brake if required, and remember it might be a good idea to proceed at reduced speed until the road conditions change for the better.

Steering before your tires regain contact with the road can result in a sudden change of direction when they do. That could cause you to collide with a vehicle beside you or run off the road altogether.

Getting caught in a hydroplaning situation depends on four things—your tire's tread depth, the inflation pressure, your speed and the depth of the water on the road surface. You have complete control over three of those items. Make sure you have adequate tires and keep them inflated to the pressure on the door sticker. Slow down when it is wet.

Lastly, watch the tire tracks of the vehicle in front of you. If the tracks stay clear of water for a second or two behind the vehicle, the water is not deep and a higher speed may be tolerable. If the tracks fill in immediately, there is a lot of water on the road surface and you must slow to an appropriate speed immediately.

Beware of standing puddles on, or streams of water across, the highway. If you drive into one and the tires do not strike the water at the same time, you may be pushed out of control as one side of the vehicle will slow down in response and the other will not.

Moderate speeds during wet weather are your best bet for safety.

Driving at night in the rain can be difficult. Make sure your wiper blades are up to the task and consider using a hydrophobic glass treatment to increase visual acuity. That is useful for windows other than the windshield and the mirrors too.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Yield signs for traffic on the roads mean something

Yielding to other traffic

Photo: B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Transit

Question: Some drivers don't seem to realize that yield signs require them to do something. They zoom right by and force their way into traffic, as if the sign wasn't even there. Don't they realize they can't do that?

Answer: The Motor Vehicle Act is definite about what a driver must do at yield signs. It says if two vehicles approach or enter an intersection from different highways at about the same time, and there is a yield sign, the driver of a vehicle facing the sign must yield the right of way to all other traffic.

According to the act, “traffic" includes pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, cycles and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using a highway to travel and “vehicle" means a device in, on or by which a person or thing is or may be transported or drawn on a highway but does not include a device designed to be moved by human power, a device used exclusively on stationary rails or tracks, mobile equipment, a motor-assisted cycle or a regulated motorized personal mobility device.

The key is "all other traffic." That isn't just the traffic in the lane you are going to try to enter. As the act says, traffic includes pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, cycles using a highway.

So, when you approach a yield sign, you must be prepared to stop if necessary. Don't focus only on vehicles in the lane you intend to enter because yield signs often occur at crosswalks. You must watch on your right for pedestrians as well.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.