News Release Archive

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--AMENDMENTS TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE ACT
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Amendments introduced today to the Motor Vehicle Act by
Transportation and Public Works Minister Richie Mann will provide
the authority to increase the speed limit on twinned highways,
provide certification for motor vehicle inspectors, and provide
statutory support for a program of mandatory alcohol
rehabilitation following a first offence.

Specifically, the amendments will allow a change in the maximum
speed limit from 100 kilometres per hour to 110 kilometres per
hour on twinned highways that have been designed for the higher
speed. Twinned roads built in the province for the past number of
years have a 110 kilometres per hour design speed, and the speed
limit on the new western alignment will be 110 kilometres per
hour.

As well, the amendments will provide for certification of motor
vehicle inspectors. Inspectors will continue to be appointed
under the Motor Vehicle Act, but the amendments will establish a 
penalty for vehicle owners or operators for failing to cooperate
with an inspector carrying out his duties.

Another amendment will reinforce the inspectors authority to
enforce by-laws or regulations specific to local roads. This
would include enforcement of "local trucking only" requirements
such as currently exist on the Hammonds Plains Road, Halifax, and
are planned for the existing Highway 104 through Wentworth Valley
when the western alignment has been completed.

Inspectors are responsible for enforcing weight restrictions on
highways across the province, as well as for ensuring compliance
with the National Safety Code for truckers. Commercial trucks can
cause anywhere from 90,000 to 322,000 times the damage to a
roadway as a passenger vehicle.

Finally, the changes will provide statutory support for the
mandatory alcohol rehabilitation program introduced last year. 
The amendments allow the registrar to require a driver, whose
licence has been suspended for the first time, to take an alcohol
rehabilitation program before the licence will be reinstated.
Subsequent offences will lead to a mandatory interview with a
drug dependency officer prior to reinstatement. Reinstatement
will be approved only on application to, and with the approval
of, the registrar.

The mandatory rehabilitation program was introduced last October,
and has seen a total of 766 participants through this April. Cost
of the program is covered by the individual.

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Contact: Donna McCready  902-424-8687

trp                    May 10, 1996 - 9:20 a.m.