THUNDER BAY — A proposal to ban passing anywhere on Ontario highways where there are two solid yellow lines has won the endorsement of a group of commercial truck drivers who advocate for road safety.
Truckers for Safer Highways is speaking out in support of Northern Ontario MPP Guy Bourgouin's private member's bill to amend the Highway Traffic Act and provide for a fine up to $400 and three demerit points for drivers caught crossing double yellow lines in any circumstances.
Unlike in other provinces, traffic lane markings in Ontario generally only serve as an advisory that passing may not be safe, although police have the discretion to charge a driver with passing unsafely in the event of a collision, for example.
A conviction results in a fine of $85 plus three demerit points.
Travis McDougall, co-founder of Truckers for Safer Highways, said in an interview Wednesday he hopes all members of the legislature support Bourgouin's bill.
"It's pretty common sense," said the Kitchener-based man who regularly drives a tractor-trailer from Toronto to Western Canada, via either Highway 11 or Highway 17. "We definitely believe that a common sense law like this shouldn't be a difficult decision for the government to adopt it."
McDougall said that in his travels he routinely sees unsafe passing where there's a double yellow line.
"We're all experiencing it, probably at least once a week myself, and I'm sure most of our members would say the same. And we're seeing the results of it in head-on collisions...It's definitely happened in the Thunder Bay area."
In a news release this week, the group stated "We frequently witness such perilous manoeuvres by drivers of all kinds, including fellow truckers."
It said the proposed "Chad's Law," — named after a man severely injured when his van was struck when a transport truck passed another tractor-trailer on Highway 11 near Kapuskasing — will equip police with the tools they need to rectify unsafe driving behaviours.
McDougall's group pointed to the prohibition against passing on two yellow lines in other jurisdictions in both Canada and the U.S., saying "The question arises as to why Ontario has yet to align itself with these neighbouring jurisdictions to maintain the highest safety standards for all road users."
Truckers for Safer Highways has about 10 members currently involved in research and advocacy, including nine professional drivers.
"Ontario's laws already provide the ability to enforce offences where appropriate if a driver is operating their vehicle unsafely including disobeying signage or improper passing," the province's Ministry of Transportation said in a recent statement. "The ministry regularly reviews its policies and practices to see if they are in keeping with current research findings and best practices worldwide."
According to the ministry, Ontario has ranked within the top five jurisdictions in North America over the past 22 years with the lowest fatality rates per 10,000 licensed drivers.