Fed up with changing gridlock and dangerous commutes, Canadians are speaking out about highway rules that don’t reflect today’s realities.
Left-lane camping
Driving slower than the flow of traffic in the passing lane enrages drivers from coast to coast. Some provinces give out nominal fines for not passing right, but drivers want strong, aggressively enforced penalties for left-lane hogging; like Europe, where it’s a serious offence that clamps down on highway congestion.
Mandatory winter tires
Currently, Quebec and regions of British Columbia are the only jurisdictions in Canada to require by law the use of winter tires. Drivers in snowbelt provinces such as Ontario and Alberta are lobbying for similar legislation because all-season tires become completely ineffective at temperatures below 7 Celsius, causing completely avoidable multi-vehicle collisions each winter season.
Phantom headlights
Digital dashboards light up as soon as the car is turned on, fooling drivers into thinking their full headlights are on when only their dim daytime running lights are on. Since this results in totally blacked-out rear taillights at night, drivers want laws prohibiting this dashboard technology to prevent deadly ghost cars on dark highways.
Right-on-red bans
Turning right on a red light has been illegal on the Island of Montreal since the 1960s, but remains possible everywhere else in North America. Irritated drivers feel this archaic municipal bylaw creates unnecessary gridlock throughout the city, and they pressure the province to standardize the rule with the rest of Canada.
Higher speed limits
Canada’s high-speed, multi-lane highways were designed for speeds far exceeding their current limits. Coupled with modern automotive safety technology, many drivers say that 100 km/h is artificially limited, and want to see the standard highway speed limit increased permanently to 110 or 120 km/h.
Unfair insurance rates
While drivers elsewhere get car insurance easily, drivers in Ontario and Alberta pay some of the highest and least-understood car insurance premiums in the world. Commuters are calling for government-imposed caps on territorial rating, a tactic insurers use to charge drivers much higher rates based purely on their postal code.
Distracted driving gaps
Drivers note that while there are hefty fines for using your phone while driving, dashboard infotainment screens can be just as distracting. Motorists want distracted driving definitions changed to legally limit how much a driver can manipulate a vehicle’s built-in screen when the vehicle is in motion.
Tow truck scams
For decades, drivers have complained about predatory independent tow truck operators at major city centres charging victims exorbitant undisclosed storage and hooking fees. Drivers want a government-run dispatch system that is tightly regulated in all provinces, ensuring flat, reasonable rates during a stressful breakdown.
Senior driver re-testing
Currently, many provinces allow seniors to take an easy medical test or attend a senior driving program at age 80 to maintain their license. Many Canadians are asking for legislation to require all seniors to take a mandatory hands-on road test to prove they have the physical reaction time to drive today’s busy roads.
Photo radar loopholes
Automated speed cameras had become revenue-generating cash cows for municipalities, instead of making our roads safer. The province of Ontario banned them. Drivers are asking the province to still allow these cameras in high-risk school zones and construction zones, to make roads safer. Cities should not be allowed to conceal speed cameras along broad streets simply to catch commuters.
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