Harsher penalties to be planned for careless drivers who hurt or kill, ON.

Today, Transport minister Steven Del Duca is set to announce  harsher approach to careless drivers who kill or hurt people.

The proposed changes would create a new offence of careless driving causing death or bodily harm which carries with it a maximum penalty of a $50,000 fine, up to two years in jail and a licence suspension of up to five years.The amendments are a change to the philosophy of Ontario traffic law.

The proposed law will also:

1. Increase fines and demerit points, and introduce license suspensions, for distracted drivers. Punishments would increase with repeated offences, with third (and subsequent) offences drawing a 30-day licence suspension.
2. Increase fines for failing to yield to a pedestrian
3. Double the maximum fine for most traffic offences from $500 to $1,000