A new law in Ontario means that drivers who don’t wait for pedestrians to completely cross the road at certain crosswalks could be hit with hefty fines.
The law, which came into effect on January 1, 2016 is specifically for crosswalks in school crossing zones with guards and crossovers with lights. The hope is to make the roads safer for schoolchildren, crossing guards, and pedestrians.
Drivers who do not wait for pedestrians to completely step off the road before they continue driving may end up facing a fine between $150 and $500. That number is doubled when the law is broken at a school crosswalk. With the new law, once the pedestrian is on the roadway, traffic must stop in both directions.
But, Toronto drivers and pedestrians are skeptical it will work. Many believe the new law will be difficult to enforce. One Toronto taxi driver told CBC News that people tend to pass through red lights, so he doesn’t think the police will be able to keep up with it all, especially in the downtown core.
It will be interesting to see how the new law pans out over the next few months. It’s easy to spot an infraction and simple to follow – just wait for the person walking to step off the road before hitting the gas – but will drivers follow the rules?