Whereas the BC Motor Vehicle Act was originally passed in 1957, and reflecting the transportation environment of its time, it was written with an emphasis on the rights and responsibilities of motorist, and does not adequately address the rights and responsibilities of other road users; And whereas the provincial government has established a Vision Zero plan to eliminate road-related injuries and deaths by 2020, through the trend towards reduced injuries and deaths for vulnerable road users are not keeping pace with improved safety for motorists; And whereas the Road Safety Law Reform Group of BC have created meaningful recommendations toward reform of the Act based on current scientific and legal research, recognized best safety practices from other jurisdictions, and the experiences of BC road users; And whereas the Provincial Health Officers Annual Report Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Reducing the impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes on the health and well-being in BC seeks to address challenges to road safety while building upon our current successes; And whereas these recommendations address modern conditions on the provinces roads, and seek to reduce conflicts between motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and persons with disabilities, and better protect seniors, children and other vulnerable road users: Therefore be it resolved that the provincial government be requested to support modernization of the Motor Vehicle Act, addressing the recommendations in the Road Safety Law Reform Group of BC Position Paper entitled Modernizing the BC Motor Vehicle Act to enhance safety for all road users.
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure; Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General The Province is always looking at new safety solutions that reflect the way roads are being used today. The Province invests in transportation improvements, provides the regulatory tools to support enforcement, and invests effort in educational programs to improve safety on our road system. Work will continue as the Province pursues Vision Zero so that British Columbia will have the safest roads in North America with the ultimate goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The Province is encouraged by submissions made by various stakeholders respecting the Motor Vehicle Act. These submissions are reviewed by ministry staff as part of our efforts to determine how the Act can enhance road safety and promote an efficient and economic transportation system. Any significant revisions to the Motor Vehicle Act undertaken would be part of a complex, multi-year project and would require considerable research and analysis, including cross-jurisdictional scans and consultations with an extensive range of stakeholder groups.