By now, you’ve likely heard that Ontario plans to amends its distracted driving laws.
Maximum penalties for distracted driving will be increased to a $1,000 fine and three demerit points, while the minimum fine will jump from $60 to $300.
But that’s far from the only change to the rules of the road announced this week.
Here are some others:
- Drivers will be required to pull over for passing tow trucks with their amber lights activated, in addition to emergency vehicles
- At pedestrian crossovers and school crossings, drivers must stop for the entire time a pedestrian is crossing
- Drivers who don’t pay fines for speeding and other traffic tickets may not be able to renew their licence plates
- Penalties for driving while impaired by drugs will mirror penalties for driving while impaired by alcohol
- Drivers repeatedly caught driving impaired will be required to complete education, treatment and/or monitoring programs
- Novice drivers convicted of distracted driving will be subject to driver’s license suspensions – or cancellation, should they be convicted a third time
- All drivers are required to leave at least one metre when passing cyclists, if possible
- Cyclists can legally use paved shoulders on unrestricted provincial highways
- Fines for ‘dooring’ cyclists are now set between $300 and $1,000, rather than $60 and $500
- The maximum fine for not using required lights and reflectors on bicycles is being raised from $20 to between $60 and $500
- Cyclists can legally add flashing red lights to their bike
- Drivers with medical suspensions can keep their driver’s licence card, for when they return to driving or to use as ID
- Maximum length of B-train double-trailer trucks extended to 27.5 metres
