Bill 79, Chad's Law (Enforcing Safer Passing), 2025
Chamber
ontario
Stage
Introduced
This Ontario bill makes it illegal to pass another vehicle by crossing double solid yellow lines on any highway.
Key Changes
- Adds a specific legal prohibition against passing another vehicle by crossing double solid yellow lines on Ontario highways
- Creates a $400 fine for drivers who violate this rule
- Assigns a minimum of three demerit points under Ontario's Demerit Point System for violations
- Amends Section 148 of the Highway Traffic Act to include these new subsections
- The law comes into force immediately upon Royal Assent
Gotchas
- The bill sets a minimum of three demerit points, meaning courts or regulations could assign more than three points depending on circumstances
- Double solid yellow lines already signal no-passing zones under existing road rules, but this bill creates an explicit statutory offence with defined penalties, potentially making enforcement more straightforward
- The bill does not specify any exceptions, such as for emergency vehicles or situations where crossing the lines may be unavoidable
- Demerit points can indirectly affect drivers beyond the fine, including potential licence suspension if a driver accumulates enough points and increased insurance premiums
Who's Affected
- All Ontario drivers
- Law enforcement officers who enforce highway traffic rules
- Cyclists, pedestrians, and other road users who benefit from safer passing rules
- Insurance companies, as demerit points can affect insurance rates
Vibes
0 responses
Gotchas
- The bill sets a minimum of three demerit points, meaning courts or regulations could assign more than three points depending on circumstances
- Double solid yellow lines already signal no-passing zones under existing road rules, but this bill creates an explicit statutory offence with defined penalties, potentially making enforcement more straightforward
- The bill does not specify any exceptions, such as for emergency vehicles or situations where crossing the lines may be unavoidable
- Demerit points can indirectly affect drivers beyond the fine, including potential licence suspension if a driver accumulates enough points and increased insurance premiums
Summary
Bill 79, known as Chad's Law, amends Ontario's Highway Traffic Act to explicitly ban drivers from passing or attempting to pass another vehicle when doing so would require crossing double solid yellow lines painted on the road. Currently, double solid yellow lines indicate a no-passing zone, but this bill adds a specific legal prohibition with clear penalties to strengthen enforcement. The bill was introduced by MPP Guy Bourgouin and is named after an individual (Chad), suggesting it was inspired by a real incident involving an unsafe passing maneuver. The bill aims to make roads safer by giving police a clearer legal tool to charge drivers who cross double solid yellow lines to overtake another vehicle. Anyone convicted of breaking this rule would face a $400 fine and at least three demerit points added to their driving record. The law would take effect immediately upon receiving Royal Assent.
Automatically generated from bill text using Claude
Vibes
0 responses