🚗 BJ Driving School is here to help you stay road-smart, test-ready, and legally safe.
Starting June 3, 2024, a major update to BC’s Motor Vehicle Act now requires drivers to maintain specific minimum passing distances from anyone walking, riding, or rolling on public roads. Whether you’re preparing for your Class 5 or 7 road test or just trying to be a better driver, this rule is a must-know.
Let’s break it down simply—no legalese, just common sense (and test-saving knowledge).
🚸 Who Are Vulnerable Road Users?
This rule is designed to protect people who aren’t in a car. According to the law, vulnerable road users include:
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
- Motorcyclists
- People on animals or in animal-drawn vehicles
- Riders of electric kick scooters
- Users of mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs
In short: if they’re sharing the road but not in a car, give them space.
📏 How Much Space Should You Give?
Here are the new legal minimums you need to follow when passing vulnerable road users:
- ✅ 1 metre on roads with speed limits of 50 km/h or less
- ✅ 1.5 metres on roads with speed limits of 51 km/h or more
- ✅ 0.5 metres when passing people in separated cycling lanes or on sidewalks
🔍 Note: Distance is measured from the outermost part of your vehicle (like a mirror) to the outermost part of the person or their equipment (like a handlebar or elbow).
If you can’t safely pass with the required distance, you must slow down and wait.
⚠️ What Happens If You Don’t Follow the Rule?
Failure to comply isn’t just unsafe—it’s expensive and could cost you your licence.
Here are the penalties:
- 💸 $109 fine + 3 driver penalty points for not taking proper precautions
- 💸 $368 fine + 3 points for failing to leave the minimum passing distance
- 🚨 Up to $2,000 in fines and 6 months in jail for more serious violations
This is especially important for anyone taking their ICBC road test—examiners will be watching how you handle cyclists, pedestrians, and scooter users.
🚦 What This Means for Your Class 5 or 7 Road Test
In test areas like Surrey and Langley, you’ll encounter cyclists in bike lanes, pedestrians at crossings, and scooter riders near parks and malls.
During your road test, examiners will expect you to:
- Scan early for all types of road users
- Adjust your speed to ensure safe passing
- Change lanes if needed to maintain legal distance
- Never crowd or “squeeze past” vulnerable users
BJ Driving School instructors are already incorporating this rule into our lessons so you’re not caught off guard.
💡 Quick Takeaways: The New Rule at a Glance
- 🚶 Leave 1 metre when passing on slower streets (≤ 50 km/h)
- 🚴 Leave 1.5 metres on faster roads (≥ 51 km/h)
- 🚦 Leave 0.5 metres in separated bike lanes or near sidewalks
- 🛑 Don’t pass unless you can do it safely
- 🚓 Police are watching—and so are examiners
📚 Want More Details?
Check out the official BC Government resource:
🔗 https://gov.bc.ca/sharetheroad
🚗 Book a Lesson with BJ Driving School
At BJ Driving School, we go beyond the basics. Our expert instructors will help you practice real-life scenarios, understand new laws, and build safe driving habits—especially for the Class 5 and 7 road tests in Surrey and Langley.
📍 Contact Us Now!
📞 Call: +1(431)336 3360
📩 Email: bjdriving@gmail.com