Seatbelts get better use after Broncos crash
Coaches and some players on the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s rugby team are making it a habit to buckle up on the bus when they travel to games this season.
Seatbelt use on buses has been in the spotlight since April 6 when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team collided with a semi-truck in rural Saskatchewan, killing 16 people and injuring 13.
Seatbelt use falls under the jurisdiction of the provincial and territorial governments.
Here’s a look at the existing rules in some provinces and territories: British Columbia — The ministry of transportation says the BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulations require motorists and passengers to use seatbelts in all vehicles. That means if a motor coach has a seatbelt, passengers are required by law to use them.
Alberta — The province requires a passenger to wear a seatbelt when it is provided. The regulation exempts vehicles that were manufactured without seatbelts. Transport Canada says all newly built highway buses must have seatbelts by Sept. 1, 2020, and Alberta says it will enforce that rule.
Saskatchewan — The province requires a seatbelt to be used if the vehicle was manufactured with seatbelts.
The province says they will comply when the new rules for seatbelts on buses are brought in.
Manitoba — The province says they will amend their regulations to reflect the updated federal standards in 2020 and officers enforce the Highway Traffic Act.
Ontario — The province says drivers and passengers must use a seatbelt when it’s provided. If the motor vehicle is manufactured without a seatbelt, it is exempt from the requirement.
New Brunswick — The province says it’s exploring what effect the federal changes will have on its existing legislation to determine what’s next.
Prince Edward Island — The province says it’s reviewing its local regulations to comply with the new federal requirement in 2020.
Newfoundland and Labrador — The province’s Highway Traffic Act requires that seatbelts must be used by drivers and passengers when they are provided. The government says it will adjust legislation to support the updated Transport Canada manufacturing requirements.
Yukon — The territory says it is in the process of rewriting the Motor Vehicles Act. Passengers on buses, including school buses, transit buses, motor coaches and motorhomes are now exempt from wearing seatbelts.
Northwest Territories — Since its rules mirror federal legislation, the territories’ Motor Vehicles Act does not require seatbelts to be worn if the person is in a vehicle that was manufactured without a federal requirement for seatbelts. The territory has not decided if it will make seatbelts mandatory for buses that were on the road before 2020.