Ontario boosts crosswalk fines

Provincial penalties for drivers who disobey crosswalk and pedestrian crossover laws will double on Sept. 1, just before students head back to school. The fines can be levied if a driver fails to stop at a crosswalk, or obstructs a crosswalk by stopping inside its boundaries. Those actions could also lead to a charge of careless driving, especially if they cause bodily harm or death to a pedestrian. Fines for careless driving will increase from a maximum of $2,000 to a maximum of $50,000, in addition to six demerit points levied against a driver’s record, and a maximum of two years in jail. Courts can also suspend a driver’s licence for up to five years. Failing to yield at a pedestrian crosswalk, whether a person is injured or not, will carry fines of up to $1,000 and four demerit points, after Sept. 1, up from a current $500 and three demerit points. Additionally, fines for failing to stop for a school bus will go up from $2,000 and six demerit points to $4,000 and six demerit points. This offence also comes with the possibility of up to six months in jail. The fines will be doubled in school or community safety zones. Shari Black, chief executive officer of the Ottawa Safety Council, applauded the higher fines. She also said crossing guards who observe a driver blowing through a crosswalk can record the vehicle’s licence plate and report it to police. An officer will then visit the driver’s home later.