Plan is to reduce accidents New drivers line up for test By ALEX HAMILTON THERE WILL be a new breed of drivers on the road Starling Aug. 1. That’s why wanna-be- drivers like Edwin Wilson, 17, are now flocking to the .% B.C. Access Centre to try to pass their road tests, “T don’t want to be stuck with the new rules,” said Wilson. “I don’t want to be caught with the restrictions they have,”’ A lot of other people are also trying to get their driver’s licences before B.C.’s | new — Graduated Licensing Program comes into effect next month. To deal with the anticipated influx of people here, an extra examiner for road tests was hired for the next three mouths. Provincial driver examiner supervisor Paul Scales says the appointment book is fill- ing up and expected it would get busier by the end of the month, : “We have a few openings but not many,’’ he said, **Prince Rupert is booked aud Kilimat is booking up.” : Matthew Black, ICBC customer service representa- tive in Vancouver, driver examinations across B.C. are booked solid. “It’s really difficult to get in the booking Jine,’’ he said. Teenagers like Wilson don’t like the new rules in- volved with the new pro- gram. . The new system makes il much more difficult for people to get their licence. ' To give new drivers time to improve their skilis, it will take them a minimum of two years to get their full licence. ' Under the new program, new drivers will have to jake two road tests) instead of one, ' Once people have their learner" s permit, which in- volves passing a knowledge and road signs test, they have to wait a minimum of three months (depending upon whether or act they Looking said - RON BENTLEY, owner of Skeena Driving School, takes out student driver Christiana Wiens for a les- son, The school’s been booked solid for drivers les- sons this month, Many people are trying to get ‘heir driver's licenses before the provincial government's new graduated licensing program starts August 1. have taken a driver training course) before going for their road test. They'll also have to dis- play a red New Driver sign with the letter ““L’? on it to let other drivers on the road know they are learners 4nd to be patient, During the leamer's stage, the new driver must also be with a fully licensed driver, and is ouly allowed to prac- lice between 5 am. and midnight. Once new drivers have passed their first road test (cost $34), they enter the In- termediate Stage, which lasts a minimum of 18 months, At this stage, the driver doesn’t have ‘to be ac- companicd by an adult driver, but they must display a green sign with the letter “N?’, signifying a novice driver. After 18 months, students can then take an advanced driving test (cost $35), which examines the driver's disposition. Examiners are looking for signs of road rage and timidness. If people fail this test, they can retry again after two wecks, If they are successful, they receive a five- “year class 5 licence, An evalualion of a gradu- ated licensing program in Ontario in 1996 shows that overall collisions by novice drivers are down by 31 per cent, and fatality and injury rates among new drivers are down by 24 per cent. /-~ Hydro develops new service BC HYDRO is changing the way it'll take bill pay- ments here. Changes here will start in the fall when bill pay- ment will be moved into the government agent’s of- fice in the B.C. Access Centre building on Eby Street. BC Hydro says the change is being made to make ser- vices more accessible, Government agents will not provide general services, but will accept bill payments, including those made through cash and debit cards, .B.C...Hydro’s.main office, building on Keith Ayenye Jocation. will continue, to ‘provide | the same services, until customers get used to the new, ‘system, says Dave Read, communily relations manager for the northern region. BC Hydro has also announced plans to consolidate its 47 To Get Away For The Weekend? Go Exploring! Rent An A.T.V. Today! We now offer A.T.V. Rentals, perfect for a weekend of exploring or those hard to get to fishing spots & hunting areas. Daily, Weekly and monthly rates available * Certain Restrictions Apply B.C. offices into 17 easy-access locations, This could mean that all customer services at the Keith Avenue site will eventually be phased out in favour of a new store front location. “Tt would either be downtown or in the mall,’’ says Read, He says the Keith Avenue sile was originally chosen be- cause if was accessible to tricks and equipment, rather than to customers. The planned new locations, to be called energy centres, will open across the province over the next three years depending upon bow test offices in southern B.C. do. ‘The new office would: be comparable to the BC Tel’s Phone Mart offices; says: Read: ” If all of the changes'go ahead: as planned, ‘he predicts the final resuit will be an increase of onc of two jobs here, The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, July 29, 1998 - A3 EE News In Brief Mill shuts for a week SKEENA CELLULOSE is taking another one-week shutdown here, The Terrace sawmill went down on Monday and Won't resume operation until next Tuesday, But when it does reslart, the mill will resume full five-day-a-week production, ending the four-day work weck the mill had started July 10, Solid wood gencral manager Dan Tuomi said the shutdown is duc to continuing poor umber markets. City awards contracts THE CITY has issued contracts for work totalling more than $600,000, Greyback Construction Ltd.’s bid of $382,730 was the lowest of five bidders for the contract to rebuild the city’s Wilson St. reservoir on the bench, Ard Rossco Ventures’ bid of $269,930 came in under four other competitors for reconstruction of the inter- section of Greig Ave. and Kalum St. Hot days ahead THE FOREST SERVICE is preparing for fire activity afler a quict spell, A heat wave is expected to stay for approximately 10 days. “We're expecting it to get really hot, so we'll proba- bly be getting some action,’’ said forest service officer Tony Falco, Most Terrace and Kitimat crews are in the area al- though one three-person initial attack crew and one 20- person unit crew are up north relieving fire fighters at the Telegrapi Creck and Atlin fires to the north. Those fires were still burning but contained as of last Friday, Brewery helps salmon BIG ROCK Brewery Ltd. wants to help restore salmon stocks in B,C, The Calgary-based company plans to donate about two and a half cents of every can or bottle of its new Chinook Pale Ale to the Pacific Salmon Foundation, a Vancouver-based group which raises money for sal- mon restoration projects in B.C, communities. The closest project to Terrace is the Hecate Stait Streamkecpers on the Queen Charlotte Islands. David Hyslop, a director of the foundation, said the beer is available through beer and wine stores in B.C. or by special order at B,C, Liquor Stores. He is plan- niga trip to Terrace this fall. Sergeant draws fine RCMP SERGEANT Darcy Gollan, now stationed in Terrace, was fined $400 for careless storage of a firearm as the result of a death of teenage boy last July. Gollan, then based in Osoyoos, was found to have Icfta rifle in an unlocked closet in his home. The rifle was taken out of the closet by Gollan’s 14- year-old son, loaded and left on the living room floor, ‘Tt was then picked up by Derek Moreira, 14, of ” Osayoos. The rifle discharged, killing Moreira. Gollan was not/al home at the lime. A Special Invitation to Friends and Neighbours to Witness the Nisga’a Treaty Initialling Ceremony RK ‘Tuesday, August 4th, 1998 10:00 a.m. Culture & Recreation Centre New Aiyansh, B.C. RSVP: 250-633-2601 [Phone] Come one and all to celebrate with the Nisga’a Nation! Dr. Joseph Gosnell, Sr. [Hon. LLD] President [Sim'oogit Hleek]