Do fines actually double in construction zones?
Posted May 3, 2012 4:37 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – You’ve probably seen the signs saying “Traffic fines double in construction zones” — it’s even mentioned on a BC Ministry of Transportation website, but flaggers are worried that isn’t actually the case.
Fraser Valley Traffic Services RCMP Constable Gaetan Parr says the base fine for speeding on a highway with no roadwork is $138.
“If you’re in a construction zone, exceeding the [maximum] speed by less than 21 kilometres – so the first tier – the fine would be $196,” he explains. That’s more, but clearly not double.
Diane Herback with the BC Flagging Association tells us they asked the government for changes months ago. “One out of three cars are speeding through a construction zone. We feel if the fines are doubled, we think that might make a difference along with more points.”
Herback says too many workers are being injured or killed on highway construction sites by careless motorists driving too fast. She adds they last heard from the province in January and the government has so far failed to explain the situation.
Even Constable Parr admits he has seen references to fines doubling around construction. “I have seen it; I’ve even — if I remember — seen it advertised, like during commercials and things like that. But to say where it came from, I couldn’t tell you.”
Herback says outside of increasing the fines, there are few other options to improve her personal safety at work. “For us as traffic controllers, we don’t know what more we can do, other than wear body armor [and use] spike belts. We just don’t know what we can do legally to protect ourselves.”
She notes her organization will not let the issue go, until the province acts to make the construction fines.double.
