New law adds rules for school buses, young drivers
- Toronto Star - May 4, 2004
A crackdown on the owners of vehicles that speed past school buses and tougher rules for young drivers were part of a package of road-safety measures introduced today by Ontario Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar.
New legislation, if passed, would allow police to lay charges against the owners of vehicles that are spotted passing school buses illegally, Takhar told the legislature.
Currently, Ontario law only permits charges against motorists who are behind the wheel at the time of the offence.
"Auto crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for children and youth, and nearly one in five deaths on our roads is a young person 19 or under," Takhar said.
"Our government wants to change that."
The legislation would also improve school bus safety standards by adding wider mirrors to reduce blind spots, more emergency exit windows on larger buses and retractable barricades to prevent children from walking into the driver's blind spot in front of the bus.
The province also plans to restrict the number of young passengers other than family members allowed in a car when the driver is 19 or under and holds a graduated licence, Takhar said.
During the first six months of a G2 licence, the second stage of the 20-month-long graduation process, only one passenger aged 19 or under will be allowed to accompany a driver of the same age.
"This is a measured and reasonable response that recognizes the mobility needs of all Ontarians," he said. "The proposed restriction is supported by sound research data and best practices in other jurisdictions."
The legislation also includes tougher rules governing the use of toddler car seats and booster seats for larger children, measures Takhar announced earlier in the week.
Those changes make booster seats mandatory for kids aged eight and under who weigh between 18 and 36 kilograms, and also extends the penalties for improper use of toddler car seats to include caregivers like grandparents and babysitters.
Conservative transportation critic Frank Klees described the bid to penalize registered owners of cars in addition to drivers as a "cash grab." And he accused the government of forcing people to buy booster seats who likely can least afford them.
"This minister has absolutely ignored the practical way that people live in this province," Klees said. "This will never wash."
