Starting Monday, June 3, 2024, drivers in British Columbia will face new fines and penalties for not maintaining minimum distances from vulnerable road users.
Vulnerable road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, individuals on animals or in vehicles pulled by animals, and people who use electric wheelchairs, mobility scooters and electric kick scooters.
Drivers must keep at least one metre from vulnerable road users when passing on highways at 50 km/h or less. The minimum passing distance increases to one-and-a-half metres on highways with speeds of 51 km/h or more. For those in separated and protected cycling lanes and on sidewalks, drivers must maintain a minimum distance of half a metre.
Under the updated Motor Vehicle Act regulations, police can issue tickets with penalties including $109 and three driver penalty points for failing to take proper precautions, $368 and three points for not maintaining prescribed distances, and up to $2,000 and six months of imprisonment for severe infractions.
BC said in a press release that these regulations protect pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, individuals on animals or in animal-drawn vehicles, and users of electric wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and electric kick scooters.
The new rules are designed to ensure safety for all road users. Distances are measured from the furthest protruding part of the vehicle, such as a mirror, to the furthest part of the vulnerable road user or their equipment, like a handlebar. The Province said these measures reflect the province’s commitment to enhancing road safety and protecting its most vulnerable users.
