As previously reported by OTA, Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) enforcement of specific moving violations under the Highway Traffic Act related to large commercial motor vehicles is underway. (This week officers will begin laying charges such as improper lane change, failure to obey traffic signals etc.). At this time, speeding violations will not be included in this training and speeding offences will continue to be the responsibility of the police.
Officers will also conduct a Level I or Level 2 Commercial vehicle Inspection on vehicles they observe committing an offence. As is customary, officers may stop a vehicle where they observe the violation or may require the driver to take the vehicle to a more suitable location for safety reasons (ie: inspection station).
The program does not signal an increase in the number of mobile patrols, but the program itself may be expanded, depending on initial results of the pilot.
In addition, as OTA previously reported MTO will begin equipping its patrol vehicles with radar devices to help MTO officers step-up enforcement of the province’s speed limiter requirement.
The pilot is intended to assist officers in the enforcement of Sec. 68.1 of the Highway Traffic Act, which requires most large commercial motor vehicles to have a functioning speed limiting system set at 105 km/h.
Multiple teams of officers are expected to be deployed in the coming months. Each region will be issued a radar unit and officers will primarily focus their enforcement on major highways with speed limits of 100 km/h.
Once MTO vehicles are equipped with radar, observing officers will be able to clock commercial motor vehicles and will be able to charge any driver traveling at 115 km/h or greater for violating the province’s speed limiter law. The radar reading will be used as evidence that the speed limiter is not functioning under the “deeming provision” outlined in the regulations. Officers will not lay a tampering charge strictly based on the radar reading.
Radar is meant to enhance the current speed limiter enforcement program so officers will also continue to use ECM readers to determine whether or not the speed limiter is activated.