The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Increased Penalties for Passing School Buses)
Chamber
manitoba
Stage
Introduced
This Manitoba bill increases fines for drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus, with higher penalties for repeat offenders.
Key Changes
- Creates a tiered fine system specifically for passing a stopped school bus
- First offence: fine of up to $2,500
- Second offence: fine of up to $5,000
- Third or subsequent offence: fine of up to $7,500
- Takes effect immediately upon receiving royal assent
Gotchas
- The bill sets maximum fines, not minimum fines — a judge could still impose a lower amount, potentially reducing the deterrent effect for first-time offenders.
- The bill does not specify how prior offences are tracked or over what time period a conviction counts as a 'second' or 'third' offence.
- There is no mention of demerit points or licence suspension, meaning the consequences are financial only.
- The existing law (subsection 137(2)) that makes passing a school bus illegal is not changed — only the penalty structure is being added.
Who's Affected
- Drivers in Manitoba who pass stopped school buses
- School children who board or exit school buses
- School bus drivers and operators
- Law enforcement officers who issue traffic violations
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill sets maximum fines, not minimum fines — a judge could still impose a lower amount, potentially reducing the deterrent effect for first-time offenders.
- The bill does not specify how prior offences are tracked or over what time period a conviction counts as a 'second' or 'third' offence.
- There is no mention of demerit points or licence suspension, meaning the consequences are financial only.
- The existing law (subsection 137(2)) that makes passing a school bus illegal is not changed — only the penalty structure is being added.
Summary
This bill changes Manitoba's Highway Traffic Act to set higher fines for drivers who pass a school bus that is stopped to let students get on or off. Right now, the law already makes it illegal to pass a stopped school bus, but this bill adds a tiered penalty system based on how many times someone has broken this rule. Under the new rules, a first offence can result in a fine of up to $2,500, a second offence up to $5,000, and a third or further offence up to $7,500. The idea is that repeat offenders face increasingly serious financial consequences to discourage dangerous driving near school buses. This bill was likely introduced in response to ongoing safety concerns about children being put at risk when drivers ignore school bus stop signals. It targets drivers across Manitoba who fail to stop for school buses on public roads.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses