Month: December 2024

Did you know that starting January 1^st it is illegal to kill a pedestrian with your car? Hopefully when you read that you thought, “You mean it wasn’t illegal already?” Okay, I admit I’m being a bit sensationalist with that opening sentence. We already have a vehicular homicide law.  But we did have a significant gap in our traffic laws – one that left pedestrian, cyclist and other vulnerable road user deaths surprisingly unpunished.

Continue reading “New Law Increases Penalties for Pedestrian Deaths”

Q: We are helping our nephew learn to drive. On a recent drive, he was first at a green light, and did not look to see if anyone was running the red light for the cross street before he proceeded. His uncle maintains a crash would be the fault of the red-light runner, and I say the law requires you to make sure the intersection is clear before you proceed, so the person proceeding through without first making sure it is clear could be at fault.

A: I should not get involved in a family dispute, but I’m going to anyway. Collisions between two vehicles sometimes happen because of the actions of both drivers, so it’s not uncommon for both drivers to share some responsibility for the crash. In this case though, I’m siding with the uncle, and I’m basing that on what the law requires for each driver.

Continue reading “Red Light Runners and Green Light Waiters”

Q: How can a police officer know if a driver is impaired by drugs? With alcohol there are roadside tests like walking a line, and a breath test. Are there similar tests for drug impairment? Alcohol has a .08 limit, and now cannabis has a limit, but are there limits for other drugs?

A: It’s time for a pop quiz: At what point has a driver had too much alcohol to legally drive? This isn’t exactly a trick question, but if your answer was a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08, well, you’re wrong. Surprised? I’ll explain.

Continue reading “The Real Test for Impaired Driving”