TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2008 – Ontario is proposing tough new legislation that would, if passed, make the province’s roads safer for all drivers.
Proposed changes to Ontario’s Graduated Licensing System would mean it would take a new driver up to 36 months to get a driver’s licence, giving them better skills and experience to drive safely.
The proposed changes also include:
- a zero blood alcohol concentration level for all drivers 21 years of age and younger
- tougher penalties for novice drivers that increase with each violation of graduated licensing restrictions, with convictions that result in demerit points or with court-ordered suspensions
- tighter restrictions on the number of young passengers teen drivers can carry.
Other changes proposed in the bill would help keep suspended drivers off Ontario’s roads by giving police the power to immediately impound their vehicles for seven days — at the roadside.
Convicted drunk drivers and those who continue to drive without a court-ordered ignition lock would also be subject to an immediate seven-day roadside impoundment.
“Teenaged drivers are about 3.5 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision,” says Transportation Minister Jim Bradley. “Lengthening their training period will give young and novice drivers more time to develop a lifetime of safe driving habits.”
“We support Ontario’s proposed legislation and regulations — a longer graduated licensing period for new drivers and a no-drinking policy for all drivers 21 years of age and under would help keep young drivers from drinking and driving, and give new drivers the experience they need,” says Andrew Murie, Chief Executive Officer of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada.
“CAA is pleased to support these measures that will strengthen Ontario’s graduated licensing system, crack down on suspended drivers, and that will help keep impaired drivers off our roadways,” says Faye Lyons, Government Relations Specialist, CAA South Central Ontario.
QUICK FACTS
- Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of hospital admissions among youth aged 15 to 24.
- Ontario was the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce a comprehensive graduated licensing program, in April 1994.
LEARN MORE
Download a copy of the latest Ontario Road Safety Annual Report
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/orsar/).
Giving young and novice drivers the right start
Ontario’s Graduated Licensing System (GLS) works: only 14 years after this program began, fatalities and injuries among teen drivers have declined by almost 25 per cent. Now the Ontario government is moving to make GLS even more effective.
To give new drivers the right start, Ontario plans to improve its GLS with new driving restrictions and a longer learning time period. This will help new drivers develop the right skills and experience they need for a lifetime of safe driving. These improvements include:
- Increasing the length of time drivers spend at the G1 (http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/gradu/index.html) and G2 (http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/gradu/index.html) levels. Currently, novice drivers can obtain a full G license in as little as 20 months. Under the proposed legislation, the minimum would be 30 months.
- Replacing the current night-time restriction on the number of young passengers a teen G2 driver can carry with an all-day restriction.
- Introducing sanctions that get tougher each time a novice driver violates graduated licensing restrictions, receives a conviction that results in demerit points or a receives a court-ordered suspension. These drivers would receive, upon conviction:
- First instance – 30-day licence suspension;
- Second instance – 90-day licence suspension;
- Third instance – the driver must return to the start of the graduated licensing program (G1).
Graduated licensing requirements: current and proposed
------------------------------------------------------------------------- G1 Requirements Current Proposed ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G1 Length 1 year, reducible to One and a half years 8 months if the driver (18 months), reducible completes an approved to 12 months if the driver education course and driver completes an presents the certificate to approved driver the Ministry. education course. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G1 Passengers Accompanied by a fully Same licensed driver, who has been licensed for four years, and a blood alcohol concentration of less than 0.05, in case he/she needs to drive the vehicle. ------------------------------------------------------ Ensure the accompanying Same driver is the only other person in the front seat. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G1 Road Cannot drive on Ontario's Same Restrictions "400-series" highways or on high-speed expressways such as the Queen Elizabeth Way, Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner Expressway, E.C. Row Expressway and the Conestoga Parkway. May drive on these roads if accompanied by a qualified driving instructor. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G1 Nighttime Cannot drive between Same Restriction midnight and 5:00 a.m. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Requirements for Current Proposed Both G1 and G2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G1 and G2 G1 and G2 drivers must Zero BAC for all drivers BAC Level drive with zero BAC. up to and including age 21. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanctions For For each conviction for Introduce escalating Violating GLS violating a G1 or G2 sanctions for any Restrictions restriction a novice driver combination of repeat receives a 30-day licence violations of G1/G2/M1/ suspension. There are no M2 restrictions or repeat offender provisions. convictions for pointable HTA offences within a 5-year period. Novice driver receives a 30-day licence suspension for the first conviction, 90-day suspension for the second conviction and would have their licence cancelled for the 3rd conviction. The person would lose all credit for any time spent in GLS including any time discount and would have to re-apply to enter G1. Once they enter G1 again they would complete all program requirements as if they were a new, never-licensed driver. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G2 Requirements Current Proposed ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G2 Length Minimum of 12 months. Minimum of 18 months. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- G2 Passengers Teen G2 drivers can carry Prohibit teen G2 drivers passengers from midnight from carrying more than to 5 a.m. as follows: one passenger aged 19 and under all day during First six months: G2 the first year of G2; drivers 19 or under can carry only one passenger There would be aged 19 or under. exemptions for family members or an After the first six months, accompanying driver who and until the G2 driver meets the requirements earns a full G licence or of an accompanying turns 20, three passengers driver in G1. aged 19 or under. There are exemptions for family members or an accompanying driver who meets the requirements of an accompanying driver in G1. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enforcing zero tolerance for young drinking drivers
Drivers aged 19 to 21 are over-represented in drinking and driving collisions. Ontario wants to put a stop to this trend by making it illegal for any person aged 21 or under to drive after drinking any alcohol. Young drivers in all licence classes will be required to have a zero blood alcohol concentration (BAC) whenever they are behind the wheel.
