WHEREAS the provincial government is responsible for the Motor Vehicle Act and its regulations, including the establishment of school and playground zones with reduced speed limits to enhance the safety of children in the vicinity; AND WHEREAS measurements of speeds at schools and playgrounds confirm a significant level of non-compliance with speed limits and anecdotal evidence suggests a flagrant and hazardous disregard of crosswalks and other regulatory measures within school zones in particular: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the fines for Motor Vehicle Act infractions including speeding in school and playground zones be doubled.
Ministry of Transportation Safety is the first priority of the Ministry of Transportation Ministry, especially where children are concerned. In 2003, with the support of law enforcement agencies, the B.C. School Trustees Association and the B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils, the Province of British Columbia Province amended the Motor Vehicle Act to allow school speed zone hours to be expanded beyond the traditional 8 a.m. 5 p.m. period where children are attending extracurricular and community activities outside regular school hours. The Province has also implemented a supplemental fine, in addition to the regular fine and driver penalty points, for significant speed violations. Current fine levels for speeding in school and playground zones are relatively high compared to other moving violation fines. A person who drives at a speed greater than 40 kmh over the speed limit commits an offence and is liable to a fine column B in the table plus the applicable supplemental fine column C in the table. Fines range from a minimum of 170 plus 3 driver penalty points to 903 plus 6 driver penalty points. These actions taken by the Province provide for a higher level of safety in and around school speed zones and is an example of the Provinces commitment to safe roads. A - Variation from posted speed limit Less than 21 kmh Between 21 and 40 kmh Between 41 and 60 kmh Greater than 60 kmh B - Fine 170 220 320 420 C - Supplemental Fine 0 0 368 483 D - Total Fine 170 220 688 903 E - Driver Penalty Points 3 3 336 336