Bill 203
Safer Roads for a Safer Ontario Act

Ontario’s roads are among the safest in North America.  Our roads and highways will be even safer through Bill 203, which targets drinking drivers and street racers. This legislation:

• Increases fines for street racers and aggressive drivers, including those who drive 50 km/h or more over the posted speed limit, to $10,000 and allows police to immediately suspend the driver’s licence and impound the vehicle for seven days;
• Better protects law enforcement in the line of duty by adding new blue flashing lights to police vehicles to increase visibility;
• Creates escalating sanctions for repeat drinking drivers with Blood Alcohol Concentration measuring 0.05 to 0.08, planned for late 2008; and
• Allows drivers who are suspended for drinking and driving to get their licences back early if they install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle, planned for late 2008.

Street Racers and Aggressive Drivers – Effective September 30, 2007

The legislation includes tough measures for those who choose to race on Ontario’s roads, including higher fines and longer suspensions:

• The maximum fine increases from $1,000 to $10,000 upon conviction for street racing, making it the highest penalty in Canada.  The minimum fine increases from $200 to $2,000.
• Police can issue an immediate seven-day driver’s licence suspension and seven-day vehicle impoundment for street racing, participating in a driving contest or stunt driving. 
• Courts can impose a driver licence suspension of up to 10 years for a second conviction, if the second conviction occurs within 10 years of the first.  For a first conviction, the maximum licence suspension period remains at 2 years.
• The definition of a “driving stunt” includes driving a motor vehicle at 50 km/h or more above the posted speed limit.
• The Act also bans driving a motor vehicle on a highway with a connected nitrous oxide system.  Some street racers use nitrous oxide to enhance the acceleration capabilities of their vehicles.

For more information on street racing and aggressive driving, please go to:

• Ontario Regulation 455/07: Races, Contests and Stunts
• Driving the Speed Limit
• Aggressive Driving
• Demerit Point System

Flashing Lights – Effective September 30, 2007

• Police services can now use flashing blue lights in combination with flashing red lights on their vehicles.  The combination of flashing blue and red lights will help increase visibility and public recognition of police vehicles, especially at night.
• Flashing red lights can now be used on vehicles designated by regulation, such as:
• Ministry of Revenue vehicles operated by provincial offences officers;
• Aviation and forest fire management vehicles operated by an officer while responding to a fire or other emergency;
• Emergency response vehicles designated by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care under the Ambulance Act.
• Flashing green lights can now be used by designated volunteer medical responders in addition to firefighters while responding to an emergency in their personal vehicles.

For more information on flashing lights, please go to:

• Emergency Vehicles
• Ontario Regulation 484/07: Lamps – Use of Flashing Red or Green Lights

Drinking and Driving – Planned For Late 2008

Each year, about 16,000 people are convicted of drinking and driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.08 in Ontario – about two people each hour.  About a quarter of the province’s annual road fatalities are alcohol-related.  The new legislation targets impaired driving by:

• Creating escalating administrative sanctions for repeat drinking drivers measuring 0.05 to 0.08 blood alcohol concentration (the “warn” range)
  • First instance: driver suspended for three days
  • Second instance: driver suspended for seven days and must undergo remedial measures course
  • Third or subsequent instance: driver suspended for 30 days, must undergo remedial measures course and have ignition interlock condition on their licence for six months.
• Measures to increase installation of ignition interlock devices by convicted offenders.
• Allowing the use of the civil forfeiture law to take vehicles away from people who continue to drink and drive.

For more information on drinking and driving, please go to:

• Impaired Driving
• Vehicle Impoundment Program

For further details on Bill 203, please contact the Ministry of Transportation:

• Telephone 416-235-4686 in the Greater Toronto Area or toll free 1-800-268-4686
  TTY (Teletypewriter users) 905-704-2426 in the Niagara Region or toll free 1-866-471-8929.

See also:

• Legislative Assembly of Ontario: Bill 203 2007
• News Release, August 31, 2007: McGuinty Government puts brakes on Dangerous Driving
• News Release, August 3, 2007: Dangerous Driving and Excessive Speeders have no place on Ontario’s Roads
• News Release, May 29, 2007: McGuinty Government Continues to Keep Families Safe on Ontario’s Roads