Ontario is preparing to sharply increase penalties for commercial vehicle offences, including distracted driving and speed limiter violations.
This is part of a broader legislative package aimed at cracking down on dangerous drivers across the province, according to a news release. The measures form part of a sweeping road safety initiative that also includes new roadside suspensions and lifetime bans for the most serious offences.
The proposals follow the Andrew’s Law petition, launched after the death of Andrew Cristillo, a father of three who was struck by a driver charged with dangerous and stunt driving.
In addition to heavy penalties for commercial vehicle drivers, the bill would impose new sanctions for dangerous and careless driving, including a lifetime license ban for anyone convicted of dangerous driving causing death and a 90-day immediate roadside suspension where police have reason to believe a person is driving dangerously.
Commercial vehicle fines for distracted driving would double to $1,000–$2,000 for a first offence, rising to $1,000–$4,000 for a second and $1,000–$6,000 for third and subsequent offences. The suspensions tied to those offences would escalate to seven, 14 and 60 days respectively. Minimum fines for speed limiter violations would rise from $250 to $1,000, including operating a commercial vehicle without a functioning limiter.
OTA supports measures
“The Ontario Trucking Association is primarily focused on supporting measures that increase highway safety and strengthen penalties for high-risk offenders and repeat violators of our traffic laws,” OTA chairman Mark Bylsma said in a release. He said the association is encouraged by meaningful increases to fines related to speed limiter enforcement, noting the devices are designed to protect the traveling public from speeding trucks.
Other proposed measures include enhanced road safety education for young and novice drivers; increased fines and longer impound periods for driving with a suspended license; and seven-day roadside suspensions for careless driving, extended to 30 days when careless driving causes bodily harm or death. Careless driving fines would rise to $1,000–$5,000, up from $400–$2,000.
The province is also exploring measures to support families of impaired driving victims, including consultations on requiring impaired drivers who cause the death of a parent or guardian to financially support the victims’ children. The release said that large trucks are involved in one in five roadway fatalities annually, while distracted driving contributes to one in seven fatalities.
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