5 new — or changed — road laws starting Sept. 1
Ottawa police will have some additional rules to enforce starting Tuesday, when the provincial government's Making Ontario Roads Safer Act comes into effect.
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Ottawa police will have some additional rules to enforce starting Tuesday, when the provincial government’s Making Ontario Roads Safer Act comes into effect.
The new legislation, which received unanimous assent when it was voted on in June, will also allow officers to impose stiffer fines and penalties on current law-breaking activities, including impaired driving and texting at the wheel.
Here are five new (or changed) laws that will be officially added to the Highway Traffic Act.
1. The “move-over law” expands to include tow trucks. Starting Tuesday, the rule regarding slowing down and moving over for stopped emergency vehicles will be expanded to include tow trucks. Drivers found guilty of not slowing down and moving over will face a fine of $490, plus the mandatory victim surcharge fee and court costs.
In a cruel twist of fate, the necessity for this new addition was seen in Ottawa only last week. On Aug. 26, a tow truck driver was struck while stopped along Highway 417 and was taken to hospital in critical condition. Fellow tow truck drivers have planned a solidarity rally for Sunday. They plan to leave from Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata and drive in single file on the shoulder of the highway, flashing their lights, before heading to the hospital where the 45-year-old driver who was struck is still recovering.
2. Distracted driving will be dealt with more severely. Prior to this legislation, the fine for distracted driving, which includes texting, talking on or looking at your phone, could range anywhere from $60 to $500. But under the new bill, the charge will carry a fine of $490, including victim surcharge and court costs, as well as three demerit points.
Additionally, novice drivers will be at risk of losing their G1 or G2 licence on the spot for a minimum of 30 days.
3. Encroaching on cyclists, “dooring” now come with more serious penalties. In yet another amendment to the Highway Traffic Act, drivers will be required to leave one metre of space between themselves and cyclists.
An additional measure to protect cyclists will see a fine set for those found guilty of “dooring,” which is the term for drivers who open their door into the path of an oncoming cyclist or vehicle. This legislation imposes a penalty, whereas none had been set prior to Sept. 1. Drivers will face a fine between $300 and $1,000 as well as three demerit points.
4. Pedestrians will be more protected while crossing the road. Drivers will not be allowed to proceed at a school crossing or pedestrian crossover until the pedestrian has completely crossed the road. This means that the whole road will have to be yielded, as opposed to the pre-legislation rule that only required the driver to yield the half of the road they are attempting to enter. The penalty will remain the same as it was prior to the expanded law: a fine of between $150 and $500.
This amendment will not come into effect until Jan. 1, 2016.
5. Plans are in motion to make driving under the influence of drugs have the same penalties as drunk driving. Drivers who are caught behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs will face the same penalties a drunk driver can expect — an automatic licence suspension between three and 90 days, and a week-long vehicle impoundment.
The government doesn’t expect this change to come into effect until the fall of 2016.
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