What is the test for determining who is the dominant driver in a motor vehicle collision?

British Columbia, Canada


The following excerpt is from Christensen v Jand, 2018 BCSC 1294 (CanLII):

Once a determination has been made on who is the dominant driver, the onus of proving negligence shifts to the servient driver: Dawes v. Valadas, 2005 BCSC 1319 at para. 31. A dominant through driver may still be negligent, but the correct analysis is to recognize that the through driver is breaching his common law and perhaps statutory obligations and to address the issue as one of apportioning fault, not to reclassify the through driver as servient based on the degree to which the through driver is in breach of his obligations: Nerval at para. 38.

Other Questions


In a motor vehicle accident where a bee flew into the vehicle, landed on the driver's stomach and he froze, can the driver be found to have been negligent? (British Columbia, Canada)
Is there any doubt that a driver who is not the dominant driver of a motor vehicle in a race? (British Columbia, Canada)
What is the duty of a servient driver in a collision involving a dominant driver to prevent a collision? (British Columbia, Canada)
In a motor vehicle accident involving a stolen vehicle, can the driver of the stolen vehicle be held liable for damages? (British Columbia, Canada)
In a collision where a dominant driver has a view of the intersection blocked by a stationary bus, can the dominant driver be found to be contributorily negligent? (British Columbia, Canada)
What is the difference between a motor vehicle accident and a subsequent motor vehicle collision? (British Columbia, Canada)
What is the test for liability when a collision occurs between a plaintiff motor vehicle and a forward vehicle? (British Columbia, Canada)
What is the test for determining whether a driver is 50% responsible for a collision between two vehicles in a parking lot? (British Columbia, Canada)
What is the finding of fact in a motor vehicle accident where a driver misjudged the speed and distance of a vehicle travelling at 50 to 70 kilometres per hour? (British Columbia, Canada)
Can a dominant driver be found contributorily negligent in a collision involving a servient driver? (British Columbia, Canada)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.