Know the four-way stop procedure when traffic lights not working

When traffic signals go out

Photo: Pixabay

When traffic signals are not working at an intersection, treat it like a four-way stop.

Question: With all the power outages in the past few weeks there have been a lot of intersections where traffic lights are out. Would you please remind everyone of the four-way stop procedure, that seems most have forgotten or never learned.

Answer: Oddly, this seems to be a difficult task for many drivers. Perhaps it is a lack of opportunity to practice the requirements that leaves them mentally unprepared for what is required, and then do it. That creates a very dangerous situation at the intersection and the case of Stevens v Sleeman illustrates that.

The requirements for the situation simply stated are:

If the traffic signals are not functioning at an intersection, the driver must stop before entering the intersection.

If two vehicles stop at about the same time, drivers must yield to the vehicle on the right.

If a vehicle is already in the intersection, drivers must yield and allow it to proceed.

My personal experience is much the same as the reader—don't expect traffic to stop as required. Take extra time to thoroughly scan the intersection and its approaches to insure you identify all hazards. The rule of thumb here is if you can't see, you can't go.

This situation is especially hazardous because stopped vehicles can hide other traffic from you or you from other traffic. You may have to carefully creep into the intersection until you are certain that it is safe to proceed.

When the traffic lights are working, the side impact or T-Bone crash is most common when making a left turn. When the lights are not working, being hit from either side while travelling straight through is also likely.

You and your passengers are especially vulnerable, as the sides of vehicles have the least protection in comparison to front and rear collisions.

If other drivers will not give you the right of way, it may be wise to make a right turn instead. Find another nearby intersection where it is safe and then return to your original route.

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

You can't always proceed just because the light is green

No going on green

Photo: Pixabay

A green light at an intersection does not always mean traffic can proceed.

A green traffic signal doesn't always mean go

The next time you are at the front of a lineup of vehicles waiting for a green light, watch the driver beside you.

Many times, when the traffic signal turns green, they will immediately proceed without looking to the left or right for hazards or traffic already lawfully in the intersection.

Just because the light has turned green, it does not mean you can go. It may be unsafe to proceed or you may still have to yield right of way to other traffic already present in the intersection.

There are three situations where drivers facing a green light must not proceed immediately. Most people already follow these three exceptions but failing to take them into account can cause confusion or a crash.

The first is a situation where turning direction controls are in place. The driver may only proceed as indicated by these signals.

The second is where there is a pedestrian lawfully in the intersection or adjacent crosswalk at the time the signal is green. Drivers must yield to those pedestrians.

The final situation is where a vehicle has entered the intersection, is waiting to turn and was been unable to do so before the signal turned red. Cross-traffic on the new green signal must yield right of way to allow the first vehicle to clear the intersection.

Always do a 180-degree scan of any intersection before entering it. Unless you are turning left, you must be able to clear the intersection before you proceed.

Don't be pressured by other drivers to go before it is safe.

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

Driving the wrong way on divided highways

Danger of going wrong way

Photo: Pixabay

Driving the wrong way on a highway can be a fatal mistake.

It is fortunate that one 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 a driving complaint about once a month for someone driving on the wrong side of the Inland Island Highway (on Vancouver Island) when I worked for the B.C. Highway Patrol in Parksville.

The most frequent reasons for travelling the wrong way include impaired driving, attempts at suicide and genuine confusion. Other reasons can include age, mental defect or disease and confusing signage. One study I read indicated some Do Not Enter signs were posted too high to be in the normal scanning path of older drivers.

So, how do you protect yourself from a wrong way driver? Travel in the right lane except when passing, as it is most likely the wrong-way driver will be in the lane to your left. If you don't have daytime running lights, turn on your headlights. Scan well ahead at all times andwear your seat belt properly.

What to do if you encounter a wrong-way driver? Move to the right, onto the shoulder and stop. Reducing the closing speed of the vehicles and not taking the collision forces directly head on will improve chances for survival.

I used the Injury Data Online Tool (iDOT) hosted by the B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit. The tool does not allow selection of a divided highway road type, but choosing a speed between 110 kilometres per hour and 120 kilometres per hour would likely limit the results appropriately. Between 2002 and 2021 there were six deaths and 19 injuries cause by wrong-way driving.

Total wrong side collision statistics for all highways in the province include 598 deaths and 5059 injuries.

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

Drivers need to learn to share the road better with other drivers

Time to drive better

Photo: Ministry of Transportation

Sharing the road with other drivers means consideration of those drivers.

A message in the DriveSmartBC inbox says there is an incredible shortage of common sense about the practicalities of driving and many people seem unable to think clearly any more. It adds, you cannot get people to drive better just by saying "drive better".

I think the problem of poor driving habits and some of the emotional and health issues (fatigue, stress, aggression, time shortage) behind bad driving are more of a social problem.

This writer’s observations are something I have often commented on. Many drivers seem to say, "I'm important, you are not. I'm in a hurry, get out of my way" when they are behind the wheel.

Hiding in their steel cocoon, they are anonymous and to some extent, so is everyone else present on the highway.

Perhaps we think that because we don't know each other and probably won't ever meet face to face. We don't have to extend social courtesies to each other.

Witness a long line of cars that have merged into one lane well before an adjacent lane is closed due to construction. There is nothing unlawful with using the lane that is going to be closed until the point where it is actually closed.

But try it. Drivers will move to block you, open their doors to prevent you passing and wave in a very unfriendly manner. They are waiting, you should too. It’s another social faux pas.

How do we change the social outlook of a driver? As a police officer, I had only education and enforcement to use in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation's engineering solutions. It was not a simple task and I often wondered if I was making a difference at all.

I hoped I did.

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