New rules for Quebec drivers in force today

[jesseps]

Starting Sunday, there will be two sets of fully licenced drivers -- those who are over 24 years old and those who aren't.

 

Quebec's auto insurance board is invoking new rules that will make it easier to suspend the licences of younger drivers, even if they hold regular licences.

 

Most drivers can accumulate up to 15 demerit points before their licence gets suspended.

 

Those points can come from anything from failing to stop for pedestrians (2 points), to failing to stop for a schoolbus (9 points).

 

But starting Sunday, the number of demerits you're allowed will vary, according to your age.

 

Jean-Marie de Koninck is the president of the Quebec road safety round table. He says too many younger drivers used to think they had points to burn once they got their full licence.

 

"The kids, when they got their 15 points they thought, well, I have so many points to spend maybe I can drive faster and, whatever, " de Koninck says.

 

Now, drivers under 23 will have an 8 point maximum. Those 23 and 24 will have a limit of 12 points.

 

(Courtesy of CJAD)

 

Thing is, I never see any cops around when people fail to stop for pedestrians. I wonder how many points you will lose for failing to stop at a stop sign or red light or even turning right on red on the island. These new rules are good, but still not strict enough. Honestly, where is the rule about if you get caught over the legal limit of alcohol in your system, you lose your license for good. I guess the people in the government, like drinking and driving

[Cyrus]

(Courtesy of CJAD)

 

Thing is, I never see any cops around when people fail to stop for pedestrians. I wonder how many points you will lose for failing to stop at a stop sign or red light

 

3 points, ticket roughly works out to $151 (no I don't know from experience )

or even turning right on red on the island.

 

3 demerits, $138, same as turning right where there is a sign prohibiting it, or not stopping before turning. If cyclist does it also he gets 3 demerits and a ~30$ ticket Honestly it does sound a bit extreme to put a turning on red ticket at the same level as going right through it... and the generic Montreal-wide prohibition is BS. However if cyclists got a $30 ticket for every time they ran a red light in a various fashions, we could close the provincial deficit

These new rules are good, but still not strict enough. Honestly, where is the rule about if you get caught over the legal limit of alcohol in your system, you lose your license for good. I guess the people in the government, like drinking and driving

 

I don't think it is really an issue, if you are drunk and driving it is a Criminal Code offense in addition to Highway Safety Code and it is already a world of pain for you in store, and you won't be driving for some time, there is a suspension for a long time and then, just try to get car insurance after that, $5000/year on a $500 Civic or something like that

 

Quebec - 1 year for the first offence, 3 years for the second offence, 5 years for the third or subsequent offence. If the license suspension is longer than the driving prohibition, a driver may be able to drive after the prohibition is completed with an interlock device. A rehabilitative course is required.[42]

 

There are also federal prohibitions, fines and jail possible / mandatory:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/safedrivers-impaireddriving-smashed-table2-909.htm

 

I think the big problem with a "lose it for good" is they will just drive anyway. People often think that if they put a law a certain way, then everyone will obey, but it is unlikely especially for something like losing a driver's license (how are you going to get home from the bar then?)

[LaRonde]

I think it is fair compared to the other law they wanted to applied about young adults not being able to drive after 12 a.m.

[Habsfan]

I like this policy. I think it should help a little!