Continuing the top 10 stories of 2010

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Number 6: Big changes to the rules of the road

It was a big year when it came to rule changes on the road.  In fact the last day of 2009 was the final time drivers in BC were permitted to use a hand-held device behind the wheel.

Then, by mid-September the rules around some tough new drinking and driving laws were introduced and we were all forced to change our bad driving habits to stay within the letter of the law.

When the changes were announced by then-Solicitor General Kash Heed, hands-free devices quickly became hard to find.

Kim Seale with the News1130 Air Patrol recalls just how tricky it was to get a hold of one of those devices. 

“I remember last Christmas, when the law was coming into play; it was a shortage of hand-held devices in every store you could think of.  It was absolutely insane, in most of the stores I went to, just trying to find some of these devices for my son and keep everyone prepared.”

Despite that, a recent Angus Reid poll suggests not all drivers are using their new toys.  Eighty-nine per cent of British Columbians reported having seen other drivers talking on their phone while behind the wheel.

If caught, those drivers are reminded of the law in the form of a $167 fine.  And don’t even think about checking your email or sending a text message.  If you get caught doing that, you can add three points to that fine.

Tough drinking and driving laws

Just in time for the holiday season the new drunk driving laws were implemented and not without their share of controversy.  Critics of the “toughest drunk driving laws in the country” say the move effectively decriminalizes drunk driving, by having many cases dealt with roadside instead of in a courtroom.

Former Attorney General Mike de Jong said the days of not finding a safe ride home were behind us.  “We can think of all kinds of excuses, they are excuses.  They are not justification for making a decision that far too often, leads to catastrophic consequences.”

A feature of the law is the “warning zone” which falls between 0.05 and 0.08.  Any drivers blowing in that blood alcohol range will face a three-day driving ban and a $200 fine.  For subsequent offenses the ban and fine will become more severe.

We kicked off our countdown with Randy Quaid fiasco on Monday, followed by the triumph of Canucks’ captain Henrik Sedin on Tuesday. Our No. 8 story was the young Asian man who made it into Canada disguised as an old white man. Top 7th story of the year involved bikes lanes. Tune in on Monday to hear what the top 5th story of the year is. You can also check out our recap of the year in photos.

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