Road Safety Bill Passed

by Toolbox Staff

The Alberta government has passed a new bill that it hopes will makes the province’s roads safer for everyone who uses them.

Bill 16 was introduced in the Alberta Legislature on May 16 and passed third reading on May 26. It introduces a number of amendments to the Traffic Safety Act. These amendments established regulations for Transportation Network Companies like Uber, modified rules related to impaired driving (including exemptions from the Ignition Interlock Program) and addressed minor inconsistencies in current legislation.

“As Minister of Transportation, my primary objective is to ensure that passengers, pedestrians and drivers are safe. We are making amendments to the Traffic Safety Act to enhance public safety and to ensure fairness and transparency for all Albertans,” said Transportation Minister Brian Mason in a press release.

The amendments in Bill 16 stemmed from the second phase of a review of the Traffic Safety Act that was initiated in 2012. Amendments from the first phase were passed in 2013 and gave municipalities greater control over playground zones and ­allowed for designated highway lanes to deal with unique traffic flow problems.