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RoadSmart Report | December 2004
INSIDE :
Periodically cleaning vehicle headlamps and tail
lamps
SGI reminds motorists to keep vehicle headlamps and tail lamps clean.
Changes to The Snowmobile Act
With snow on the ground and a chill in the air, snowmobile enthusiasts
are eager to hit the trails in winter. However, recent changes to
The Snowmobile Act mean snowmobile riders in the province
will now have to follow a number of new rules.
New Vehicle Registration Class: Class LV
Many Saskatchewan motorists will notice a change to their licence
plate in the new year. Starting Jan. 1, 2005, owners of over 590,000
vehicles will have their registrations converted to a new light
vehicle class (Class LV) when they renew their licence plates.
New rules for displaying a front licence plate
on Saskatchewan vehicles
Since Saskatchewan moved to a single rear licence plate in June
2004, SGI has received some inquiries regarding the display standards
for a front licence plate.
RoadSmart Report is available on SGI’s Web site at
www.sgi.sk.ca.
If you would like back issues, send your name and email address
to: jkoback@sgi.sk.ca.
RoadSmart Report is produced quarterly by the Communications
department.
Contact: Jared Koback (306) 751-1811.
Periodically cleaning vehicle headlamps and
tail lamps
SGI reminds motorists to keep vehicle headlamps and tail lamps
clean.
"It is essential for a driver to see, but it is also important
to be seen by other motorists," says Brian Kline, Manager of
SGI’s Vehicle Inspection.
Kline also reminds motorists to do a periodic check of their vehicle’s
lighting. Making sure that all brake, tail, signal, side marker,
head and daytime running lamps are clean and in proper working order.
Replace any burnt out bulbs or lamps immediately.
All vehicles 1990 and newer are equipped with daytime running
lamps and they must be maintained and operational.
Kline explains that daytime running lamps do not activate the tail
lamps on a vehicle. The tail, brake and signal lamps are important
to signal your intentions and to identify the vehicle when another
vehicle is approaching from the rear. It is also important to understand
that vehicle manufacturers must include red reflectors on the rear
of a vehicle. These red reflectors reflect light back to an approaching
vehicle and identify a vehicle is present when it may be parked
on the side of a road without the lamps being activated. Most manufacturers
include the red reflectors into the tail lamp lens.
"If the lamps and reflectors are kept clean, the driver of
an approaching vehicle will be able to identify your intentions
and the vehicle sooner, and allow them to take the necessary precautions,"
says Kline.
In addition, Kline suggests that a vehicle’s main lights
should be activated during inclement weather in order to make the
vehicle that much more conspicuous.
"Keeping your vehicle’s lamps clean and always turned
on, especially in inclement weather, is just another way of reducing
your risk of being involved in an accident," says Kline.
Take an extra few seconds to properly clean your vehicle’s
lights to ensure a safe ride home.
Contact:
Brian Kline
Manager, Vehicle Inspections
SGI
Regina
(306) 775-6189
Changes to The Snowmobile Act
With snow on the ground and a chill in the air, snowmobile enthusiasts
are eager to hit the trails in winter. However, recent changes to
The Snowmobile Act mean snowmobile riders in the province
will now have to follow a number of new rules.
Effective immediately, changes to the legislation include:
- Safety Training — All snowmobile operators
who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1989, are now required to complete
a snowmobile safety training course before operating a snowmobile
on public land. (You must be at least 12 years old to enrol in
a snowmobile course).
- Class 7 drivers — A snowmobile operator
with a Class 7 driver’s licence (learner’s permit)
must now be supervised or accompanied by a qualified driver when
operating on the travelled portion of a public road. This
is in addition to the provision that requires them to take a safety
course.
- 16 years old — When an individual without
a driver’s licence turns 16 years of age, they are no longer
required to be supervised when operating a snowmobile on public
land, providing that they have completed a safety course.
- Trail map — New legislation allows the
Snowmobile Trail Manager (SSA) to issue a trail map once a year
instead of submitting each change to the trail system. The Manager
must also ensure that any and all trail changes are adequately
marked on the new section of the trail.
Contact:
Shannon Ell
Supervisor, Traffic Safety Promotion
SGI
Regina
(306) 775-6179
New Vehicle Registration Class: Class
LV
Many Saskatchewan motorists will notice a change to their licence
plate in the new year. Starting Jan 1., 2005, owners of over 590,000
vehicles will have their registrations converted to a new light
vehicle class (Class LV) when they renew their licence plates.
The vehicles included in Class LV are:
- All cars, sport utility vehicles, light vans and light trucks
currently registered in Class PV (Light vans include minivans,
passenger vans and cargo vans that are rated "one ton"
and less. Light trucks include quarter ton, half ton, three-quarter
ton and one ton units);
- All sport utility vehicles, light vans and light trucks currently
registered in the commercial Classes A, C and D;
- All farm sport utility vehicles and light vans in Class F;
- All motor homes and buses currently registered in Class PV that
have a registered gross vehicle weight of 15,000 kgs or less and;
- All motorcycles and mopeds.
Class LV is being introduced to make the vehicle registration system
more fair and balanced for light vehicle owners. The new class moves
vehicles from five different registration classes into Class LV
making the system easier to understand.
Vehicles in Class LV, including cars, SUVs, light vans and light
trucks (those trucks that are 3500/350 series and smaller, regardless
of registered gross vehicle weight), have expanded allowed uses
and can be used for both commercial and private purposes.
For example, a vehicle in Class LV can be used as a personal vehicle,
in the operation of a business or for the transport of any commodity.
It can’t however, be used to transport passengers for hire
(for example, LV class vehicles can’t be used as a taxi).
If you would like more information on Saskatchewan’s vehicle
registration system, visit SGI’s web site at www.sgi.sk.ca
or contact SGI at 775-6900 or toll free at 1-800-667-9868.
Contact:
Bruce Kush
Manager, Vehicle Registration Policy and Permit Services
SGI
Regina
(306) 775-6599
New rules for displaying
a front licence plate on Saskatchewan vehicles
Since Saskatchewan moved to a single rear licence plate in June
2004, SGI has received some inquiries regarding the display standards
for a front licence plate.
To avoid any further confusion, SGI offers the following guidelines:
- Displaying a Saskatchewan licence plate that doesn’t match
the rear plate is against the law, unless the plate was produced
before 1977 and is displayed on a pre-1977 model year vehicle.
- The front plate that was originally issued to your vehicle can
de displayed, as long as it matches your current, valid rear Saskatchewan
plate.
- Displaying a licence plate from another jurisdiction is prohibited,
unless it’s a valid plate assigned to your vehicle by that
jurisdiction.
- Novelty plates that look like the current Saskatchewan licence
plate and imitations of plates from other jurisdictions can’t
be displayed.
- All other souvenir, collector or vanity licence plates can be
displayed on the front of your vehicle.
Contact:
Anna Lapierre
Assistant Vice President, Licensing and Registration Services
SGI
Regina
(306) 751-1260
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