Driver bill targets rural young people

At the end of 2008, Premier McGuinty had to throw the car into reverse with respect to legislation cracking down on young drivers and discriminating against rural young people.

Young people across Ontario saw aspects of Bill 126 – the Road Safety Act, 2008 - for what they were and protested loudly and thoroughly, echoing the sentiments of a once popular rock song, “Dalton - Leave us Kids Alone”.

Again it would be rural and northern young drivers who would be heaviest hit by this legislation. Many young people rely on their licence to get to and from school or work, and, unlike the GTA, in many parts of this province, a car or truck is the only method of transportation.

Passenger restrictions – as Bill 126 originally called for - would have only exacerbated the difficulties for rural drivers. After a facebook petition and comprehensive lobbying campaign, young Ontarians saw government back down. And while an amendment to the bill, striking out the provision that would have prevented teen drivers from having more than one teenaged passenger in the car at any time, is a good start, there is still more to repair.

In addition to the passenger restriction, Bill 126 includes a new "zero-tolerance" policy for speeding or alcohol resulting in licence removal for infractions by drivers under the age of 21.

Of course we should work to make our roads safer – and given the statistics, working with young drivers is an important part of that – but the punitive nature of this legislation gives rise to worrying concerns, especially in rural Ontario.

As PC Leader John Tory pointed out, "We want to protect public safety and have stricter conditions under which young people can drive cars, but we have to be careful of the practicalities of living. In rural Ontario sometimes if you're going to a movie or just going to school ...we have to be careful that we don't do things that are impractical."

MPP Peter Shurman echoed that sentiment stating, “McGuinty is telling our young people that they can vote and they can die for their country in Afghanistan but they are not responsible enough to drive with their friends to a hockey game.”

MPP Shurman also pointed out that, “Dalton McGuinty wants to create two classes of citizens and punish responsible drivers for the mistakes of others.”

In our society at the age of 19 we are given the rights and privileges of an adult. One loses those rights if they abuse them – not because they are 21 or under!

With respect to the age-related speeding provisions, Opposition Transportation Critic Frank Klees noted in the Legislature, “I don’t know that there would be a member of this House who on occasion hasn’t glanced down to see that they were five miles over the speed limit; that happens unintentionally.”

And while there are fines to pay for making that unintentional mistake, removing someone’s driving privileges just because they’ve made this mistake before their 21st birthday seems a little heavy handed.

Please feel free to contact my office for copies of our petition echoing the cry, “Dalton - Leave us Kids Alone!”