The B.C. Flaggers Association is upset and pressing the provincial government for straight answers, after discovering signs informing drivers that speeding fines double in construction zones have never been the law.
“We, as the B.C Flagging Association, have found out that there is no such thing as double the fines and that the police and the Ministry of Transportation have no idea where these signs have come from,” said Diane Herback, director of the B.C. Flagging Association in a letter sent to the BC Minister of Justice and Attorney General on May 2.
“For the past six-eight months, we have been emailing Mr. Blair Lekstrom asking him to see if we can actually get double the fines in construction zones.”
Traffic signs across B.C. and on the Ministry of Transportation website state that fines are more than double for drivers, who ignore flaggers and speed through construction zones. However, a quick look at RCMP’s penalties for speeding in a construction zones reveals that this isn’t true.
Currently, a regular speeding ticket will cost a driver $138. Burnaby RCMP have advised the public that fines for speeding in a construction zone are:
Section 140 MVA (speed less than 21 kilometres over the limit) $196.00
Section 140MVA (21km to 40 km over speed limit) $253.00
The jump in the fine from $138 to $196 represents a 42 per cent increase. The fine would be $276, if the fines were actually doubled.
Fine for speeds more than 40 kilometres over the speed limit increase to a maximum of $483 and include seven day vehicle impoundment. The penalty for failing to obey a flag person is $196 and/or $368 for driving without due care and attention.
“The RCMP have never legally been given the authority to double the fine for speeding in a construction zone,” said Herback in an interview. “The provincial safety campaigns were put into place, when the government knew this was never the law, and the RCMP have never issued a ticket with double the fine.”
Herback said the main concern of the B.C. Flaggers Association is they want the government to help improve safety in construction zones.
“We want the law to be put in place that it is double the fine for speeding in a construction zone,” she said.
“We don’t really care where the signs came from or why they were up there in the first place.”
For this reason, Herback asked the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Blair Lekstrom to clarify the situation. However, Herback said Lekstrom has given her the run around and has not provided any answers.
“We are awaiting a response from Shirley Bond,” she said. “We are trying to contact her by phone and we will send another e-mail if we don’t get an answer from her.”
Lekstrom advised the B.C. Flaggers Association that the enforcement of construction speed zones falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Public Safety and Solicitor General.
Lekstrom forwarded Herbacks email to Shirley Bond, minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The B.C. Flaggers Association also sent a copy of the email to Bond.
Recent Comments
comments for this post are closed