In the News

New rules for young drivers
Simcoe.com
By Michele Lawson
July 29, 2010

BARRIE —It’s a question of numbers ruling the roads.

Almost 200 young Canadians between the ages of 15 and 25 are killed in impaired-driving-related car crashes every year. According to research, motor-vehicle collisions in general are the top cause of death for the age group, with the ages 19, 20 and 21 the peak years for drinking and driving-related incidents.

As a result, Ontario lawmakers have instituted a revised scheme for graduated licencing.

Before the change, young people who had reached the “unrestricted” G license and were at least 19 were subject to the same laws as any other adult. Not anymore.

As of Aug. 1, all drivers under the age of 22 will be held to a zero-tolerance standard when it comes to drinking and driving – regardless of which class of licence they have obtained.

The Safe Road Act received royal assent April 23, 2009 and is just now being implemented by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

The new legislation also means higher fines for running a red light, failing to stop for an emergency vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident; and the immediate impounding of vehicles driven by drunk or suspended drivers.

“The hope is that eventually we’ll see a decrease in fatalities in that age group,” said MADD Barrie Simcoe past-president and victim-services volunteer Kim Butler. “You can’t be brand new at something and be really good at it.”

It takes years to experience all the situations a driver might come up against, she said, and facing them for the first time under the influence of alcohol makes it more difficult to cope well. And, she adds, young adults are new to drinking too.

“As far as the legislation goes, there are people who aren’t going to like it, but the numbers are there,” Butler said. “If anyone doubts the severity of having a few drinks, I’d like to have them go on a call with the police to tell someone his son or daughter, husband or wife, is not coming home again.”

Barrie North Collegiate graduate Megan Fitzpatrick, 19, is now legally able to drink alcohol in Ontario – but must abstain if taking her G2 licence on the road. But she says tighter regulations won’t affect her decisions, now or later.

“I wouldn’t drive after I’ve had one drink anyway,” says the University of Ottawa student who enjoys going to restaurants with her friends. “I know all my friends are just as responsible as I am.”

She has been in the situation where a friend could legally take a drink before getting behind the wheel, Fitzpatrick said, but “she chose not to. She wanted to be a driver who had a zero-alcohol level.”

She said MADD posters have helped educate her about the dangers of drinking and driving, but good role models have played a part too.

“My dad doesn’t drink and my mom won’t drive even after one drink,” said the teenager. “I think it’s something they’ve enforced.”

She has no problem with her peer group being targeted by the new law given the statistics.

“I think it’s a maturity thing,” she said. “I don’t think teenagers have the life experience to know how their actions will affect other people.”

At Young Drivers of Canada, the new law won’t drastically alter the common-sense approach to driving now promoted, according to Barrie centre trainer Al Zurawski.

“We’ve basically been teaching zero tolerance though graduated licencing,” he said. “This is just an extension."