Why this 86-year-old BC man won't get his driver's licence back
An 86-year-old BC driver determined to get his licence back has failed to do so for very good reasons.
The octogenarian was ordered to resit his driver's test in 2021 after his doctor told ICBC that due to his declining health, it was best that he redid his test.
However, it didn't go well, and the driving examiner ended the test early due to safety concerns. iNFOnews.ca has opted not to identify the driver.
"The driver examiner expressed a high level of concern with your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle," the report read.
Undeterred, the senior requested a judicial review of his driving test but the review board upheld its decision not to give him a licence.
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He then took it to the BC Supreme Court.
The June 6 Supreme Court decision explains why he didn't pass the test. Here are the reasons verbatim.
The results of your Enhanced Road Assessment completed February 14, 2022, indicate the following areas of concern:
- Dangerous action: When executing a right turn from a stop sign, you proceeded very slowly, and initiated the turn without consideration for the vehicle approaching from your left. The oncoming vehicle was required to sound their horn and take evasive action to avoid a collision. The driver examiner had verbally advised you to wait for the oncoming car to pass.
- Dangerous action: When attempting to execute a left turn from a green light, you advanced into the intersection, but did not complete the turn. The traffic light turned amber, then red, and cross-traffic began to enter the intersection. An oncoming vehicle was required to make a sudden stop to avoid a collision. The driver examiner was required to take verbal control to have you clear the intersection.
- Dangerous action: When executing a right turn from a red light, you proceeded very slowly, and initiated the turn without consideration for the vehicle approaching quickly from your left. The oncoming vehicle was required to change lanes in the middle of the intersection to avoid a collision. The driver examiner again had verbally advised you to observe and wait for the oncoming vehicle prior to turning.
- Stopped unnecessarily in the middle of the road with a vehicle approaching from behind.
- Multiple instances of driving inappropriately slowly for conditions, with indication by the driving examiner that your turning speed was very slow, even at green traffic lights, and caused confusion for other road users.
- Maximum recordable demerits for failure to perform sufficient blind spot observations (shoulder checks) prior to turns.
- Instances of assuming the right of way when inappropriate to do so, and unsafe lane change location.
- During the pre-trip portion of the Enhanced Road Assessment, you were unable to identify the Yield, Do Not Enter, and Playground Zone traffic signs.
- As a result of your commission of multiple dangerous actions in a short period of time, the driver examiner ended the ERA early for safety reasons.
- The driver examiner expressed a high level of concern with your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
Luckily, the Supreme Court sided with ICBC who refused to give the senior his licence back.
The full decision can be found here.
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