Members of the Chestermere RCMP are a dedicated group of men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day. Going above and beyond the call of duty and what is regularly asked of them to keep our city safe. As Chestermere does not have a high crime rate, these officers take great pride in keeping our streets safe and keeping careful watch on traffic violations.
There are no laws, or regulations saying you can’t love your vehicle. It is a common mindset amongst people young and old that you buy a vehicle and then start altering its appearance to make it ‘yours’ or ‘cool’. However, some of these alterations can be a danger on the road the Chestermere RCMP wanted to provide some guidance and information that could help residents understand the law and adhere to them.
The following is a list of common infractions found out on Alberta’s roads and highways by Alberta Law Enforcement Officials:
- Mud guards/flaps – a minimum of half of the tire needs to be covered. Most cars and SUV’s have this coverage from the body itself, however numerous pick-up trucks have nothing protecting following vehicles from the possibility of a rock chip in the windshield
- Window tinting – this is not allowed from the “B pillar” or driver forward. This includes from door windows and windshields.
- Drivers must keep all lights on their vehicles in a working and operational manner. This includes daytime driving lights and license plate lights.
- Brake lights – do not place tinted covers over them. This diminishes the effectiveness of the light.
- License plates – do not place covers over them as they need to be seen easily
- Lights on vehicles – rear lights are only to be red. Front lights can be white or amber. Other than license plate and back up lights.
- Replace your windshield in the vehicle if the driver’s view is impaired by cracks in the windshield
- Have a current copy of registration and insurance with you and know where it is so you can produce it quickly and easily should you get stopped by an officer. * It is important to note that you should not have expired documents in your vehicle*
- Do not park or store vehicles without valid registration and insurance on public streets
The RCMP also recommend that you make it a routine to periodically visually inspect your vehicle that it is indeed acceptable operationally. Avoid being pulled over and fined for equipment failures that are within your responsibility as an owner of an automobile.
A few other points that Chestermere RCMP wished to remind residents of are:
- Stop signs mean stop – coming to a complete stop
- Chestermere school zones are in effect from 7am – 5pm. Please keep that in mind when travelling around our city.
With the recent Provincial budget announcing that traffic fines will be increasing, let’s adhere to these laws – keeping Chestermere streets safe and keeping your hard earned money in your pocket.
