Changing the rules of the road
Posted on 28. Nov, 2008 by Archivist in News
Ontario plans to alter licencing system
Keith Roberts
News Reporter
The reaction to the province’s proposed G2 licence restrictions isn’t welcomed by those it will effect.
“If I was still 19, I’d be pissed,” said 20-year-old media foundations student Ellie Salmon, referring to the potential one-teenage-passenger restriction to teen drivers.
“The whole point in getting a licence when you’re a teenager is so you and your friends can have more freedom to go places,” she said.
The change has caused conflict for many other students as well.
“It could be a problem for me, I usually drive friends places,” said Michael Szczucinski, 19, a first-year film and television student.
MADD Canada’s Carolyn Swinson said the criticism of the teen passenger limit is misunderstood.
“It’s just for the first year of G2,” said Swinson. “It’s not as onerous as perceived.”
“A lot of teens think this restriction is the same as the BAC,” she said, referring to the new Blood Alcohol Concentration proposal.
Currently G-class drivers can legally have a blood alcohol level of between 0.05 and 0.08.
Now only G1 and G2 drivers are restricted from consuming any alcohol before getting behind the wheel but the new proposal would ban all drivers under 21, regardless of licence-class, from drinking before driving.
Ministry of Transportation spokesperson Emna Dhahak said changes to the Graduated Licensing System could bring down the accident rate for youths.
“Despite the overall success of the current GLS program, young drivers continue to be significantly over-represented in fatal and injury collisions,” Dhahak said.
“Studies have shown that teenage drivers are three-and-a-half times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than drivers aged 30 to 34.”
Dhahak said the restrictions are meant to benefit drivers.
“Our ultimate goal is to give novice drivers and young people in this province the opportunity to acquire the driving skills and positive attitudes they need to drive safely for the rest of their lives,” she said.
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