New Traffic Laws....As of Sept 1st 2015

[beachdown]

The province of Ontario will introduce a new set of traffic laws next week as part of its efforts to make driving safer in the province.
The “Making Ontario Roads Safer Act”, or Bill 31, was approved unanimously in June and will come into effect Sept. 1—meaning some new rules for drivers and, in many cases, heavier penalties for breaking them.
Here is a look at five new traffic laws that are most likely to affect your everyday driving as of next Tuesday.
Distracted driving: If you’re caught looking at your phone, texting or talking on your phone while driving, you will face much bigger fines and more demerit points, the province is warning. The current fine for distracted driving is approximately $200. As of Tuesday, those found guilty of distracted driving will face fines up to $1,000 and more demerit points. Drivers with G1 or G2 licenses could have their permits suspended on the spot.
Pedestrian crossovers: Drivers will have to wait until pedestrians have completely crossed the road at pedestrian crossovers and school crossings before proceeding. About half of all fatal traffic accidents involving pedestrians occur at intersections, the Ministry of Transportation said. The new law is an attempt to make roads safer for pedestrians. This change will take effect in January.
Passing cyclists: Drivers will have to give cyclists at least one metre of room wherever possible. The fine for breaking this rule has not yet been set. Motorists who open the door of their vehicle into the path of a cyclist without checking will face fines between $300 and $1,000 and three demerit points.
The “move over” law: As for Sept. 1, drivers will be require to slow down and move into the next lane whenever they see a stopped emergency vehicle with its red and blue lights flashing. This will apply to stopped tow trucks that have amber lights flashing. The fine for breaking these rules will be $490 and three demerit points.
Alcohol and drugs: Those caught driving under the influence of drugs will now face the same penalties as drunk drivers, the ministry said. These include between a three and 90-day license suspension and a week-long vehicle impoundment. More than 45 per cent of drivers killed in Ontario were found that have drugs or alcohol in their systems.

[Lynn49]

I wonder if the "waiting until pedestrians complet their road -crossing" will create some horn beeping from cars behind that first, waiting car.....might create some very awkward situations, particularly on wide intersections........

[abbasgirl]

I don't see how waiting until a pedestrian is completely across the road will make roads safer. I already wait until they're well past my car, but waiting for them to cross all the way seems a bit ridiculous. It's just going to slow everything down.

[abbasgirl]

Is the new part of the move over law that it now includes tow trucks or did it always include them? A tow truck driver was critically injured on the 417 in Ottawa yesterday.

[Midnightly]

The province of Ontario will introduce a new set of traffic laws next week as part of its efforts to make driving safer in the province.
Passing cyclists: Drivers will have to give cyclists at least one metre of room wherever possible. The fine for breaking this rule has not yet been set. Motorists who open the door of their vehicle into the path of a cyclist without checking will face fines between $300 and $1,000 and three demerit points.

makes me wonder how they can enforce this.. there is just soo much grey to the law.. i've seen horrible cyclists who speed faster then the cars and weave in and out of the traffic, not stopping at red lights, the driver may check then in the few moments it takes to open the door a cyclist comes bombing up the side of the road and cuts the driver off.. i get the road needs to be shared but thats the key thing.. SHARED between both it's not always the drivers fault

[beachdown]

Tow trucks were added under Bill 31, adding them to the list of emergency vehicles motorists have to stop for. There are cases of many cases of TTD having been killed roadside during a tow

Is the new part of the move over law that it now includes tow trucks or did it always include them? A tow truck driver was critically injured on the 417 in Ottawa yesterday.

[trishka]

I wonder if the "waiting until pedestrians complet their road -crossing" will create some horn beeping from cars behind that first, waiting car.....might create some very awkward situations, particularly on wide intersections........

I don't see how waiting until a pedestrian is completely across the road will make roads safer. I already wait until they're well past my car, but waiting for them to cross all the way seems a bit ridiculous. It's just going to slow everything down.

This hasn't been made very clear by the media but most intersections are not pedestrian crossovers. Pedestrian crossovers are usually places that allow people to cross where there is no traffic light. They are also supposed to be clearly marked with a sign that says "Pedestrian X" and have those yellow X's overhead or is marked as a school crossing. They usually have a button that turns the yellow X's flashing.


The previous law allowed you to drive through once the pedestrian and/or crossing guard had cleared your half of the crosswalk. The new law requires them to clear the whole crosswalk before you can proceed, so it really isn't that big of a change.


Also I think there cannot be a crossover on a street that has a posted speed of 60 or over, so most of them are on side streets or in residential neighbourhoods.

[beachdown]

It's not the media's duty to make anything clear. When you embark on your journey to learn how to drive, you don't turn to the media for the rules of the road do you? The onus is on the driver to make sure they are well informed via self education what the rules and laws of the road / highway are.

I saw this young lady in her mini cooper this after texting whilst waiting to go...I am sure it's a txt that could have waited and not a matter of life or death as she giggled. You see this a lot, and these fools just think they are being cool when they are sending their LOLs back and forth to either bf/gf/friends. Then you have the speed racers...City TV news last night had pictures of 2 cars that collided seriously after racing each other, and the one car was chopped into pieces.

This hasn't been made very clear by the media but most intersections are not pedestrian crossovers. Pedestrian crossovers are usually places that allow people to cross where there is no traffic light. They are also supposed to be clearly marked with a sign that says "Pedestrian X" and have those yellow X's overhead or is marked as a school crossing. They usually have a button that turns the yellow X's flashing.


The previous law allowed you to drive through once the pedestrian and/or crossing guard had cleared your half of the crosswalk. The new law requires them to clear the whole crosswalk before you can proceed, so it really isn't that big of a change.


Also I think there cannot be a crossover on a street that has a posted speed of 60 or over, so most of them are on side streets or in residential neighbourhoods.

[abbasgirl]

Apparently it's not MTO's duty either. I can't find anything on their site about the new pedestrian crossing rules. I do think we can reasonably assume though that most people do rely on the media for news and, unless they are just getting their license, that news would include changes to the rules of the road.

[trishka]

It's not the media's duty to make anything clear. When you embark on your journey to learn how to drive, you don't turn to the media for the rules of the road do you? The onus is on the driver to make sure they are well informed via self education what the rules and laws of the road / highway are.

While that is true that the onus is on the driver, the media is reporting on these changes without making it clear, almost as if they don't know what the difference is. I have seen numerous confused comments on various media postings about this new rule pertaining to crossovers. While it was some time ago since I got my licence, I don't recall hearing the term "crossover" but heard them referred to as school crossings or crosswalks. If the media is reporting on a crossover, it is helpful to explain what it is and the difference between it and an intersection, especially if it is not a term commonly used, which from what I've seen is the case.

[beachdown]

Glad you agree with me!

While that is true that the onus is on the driver, the media is reporting on these changes without making it clear, almost as if they don't know what the difference is. I have seen numerous confused comments on various media postings about this new rule pertaining to crossovers. While it was some time ago since I got my licence, I don't recall hearing the term "crossover" but heard them referred to as school crossings or crosswalks. If the media is reporting on a crossover, it is helpful to explain what it is and the difference between it and an intersection, especially if it is not a term commonly used, which from what I've seen is the case.

[beachdown]

Did you really check? I found it in 2 secs

http://www.ontariocanada.com/registr...ostingId=19422


http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/bill-31.shtml

Ontario Legislative Assembly

http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bil...do?BillID=3057


Additional Changes from Bill 31 - Making Ontario's Roads Safer Act
Effective January 1, 2016

• Drivers must yield the whole roadway to pedestrians at school crossings and pedestrian crossovers.

http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2015/0...er-1-2015.html

Apparently it's not MTO's duty either. I can't find anything on their site about the new pedestrian crossing rules. I do think we can reasonably assume though that most people do rely on the media for news and, unless they are just getting their license, that news would include changes to the rules of the road.

[beckie.c]

The “move over” law: As for Sept. 1, drivers will be require to slow down and move into the next lane whenever they see a stopped emergency vehicle with its red and blue lights flashing. This will apply to stopped tow trucks that have amber lights flashing. The fine for breaking these rules will be $490 and three demerit points.

We have this law already in SK with tow truck drivers included, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to slow many people down when approaching tow trucks. Construction zone fines have also increased the last couple years, but again we still have so many who speed right by. One accident this summer claimed the lives of 3 teenagers, who waiting for the flag person to let them pass. I was happy to see charges come out of that case.

As for passing cyclists... our city buses would fail that one every day, they make me cringe some days.

[abbasgirl]

Did you really check? I found it in 2 secs

http://www.ontariocanada.com/registr...ostingId=19422


http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/bill-31.shtml

Ontario Legislative Assembly

http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bil...do?BillID=3057


Additional Changes from Bill 31 - Making Ontario's Roads Safer Act
Effective January 1, 2016

• Drivers must yield the whole roadway to pedestrians at school crossings and pedestrian crossovers.

http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2015/0...er-1-2015.html

Yes, I really checked - the Ministry of Transportation site, not Service Ontario. I looked at the same page you linked me to (2nd link). There's no info there on the pedestrian crossing law change or anywhere else on that site as far as I can see. I think it's probably because that change doesn't come into effect until Jan 1 - a fact that I picked up from a news site, where commenters were all confused about what a cross walk is. I don't think the MTO is doing the best job in getting the information out accurately. People are confused. Thanks for the other links though. I'll go through them and hopefully get my own questions cleared up.

[abbasgirl]

Yes, I really checked - the Ministry of Transportation site, not Service Ontario. I looked at the same page you linked me to (2nd link). There's no info there on the pedestrian crossing law change or anywhere else on that site as far as I can see. I think it's probably because that change doesn't come into effect until Jan 1 - a fact that I picked up from a news site, where commenters were all confused about what a cross walk is. I don't think the MTO is doing the best job in getting the information out accurately. People are confused. Thanks for the other links though. I'll go through them and hopefully get my own questions cleared up.

Nope. That didn't help much either. The service ontario link was about changing the markings on pedestrian crossovers. The Ontario Legislative link would better be read by someone who understands legalese. It's all gobbledy-gook to me. What they need is a central page where all the changes are explained in plain English.