Nunavut wants tougher driving laws, survey finds

The Nunavut legislature is too soon vote on amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act that will create penalties for distracted drivers. (FILE PHOTO)

Nunavummiut want to see tougher penalties for distracted and impaired drivers, along with a graduated licensing program that better reflects national standards.

That’s according to consultation data collected last year ahead of proposed amendments to the Nunavut Motor Vehicles Act, which is one of the bills up for consideration during the Nunavut legislature’s current winter sitting.

Over 85 per cent of Nunavummiut surveyed want to see improved public safety on the road, support stronger laws to reduce impaired driving, or want to penalize drivers distracted from the road by their smart phones, according to the report, which was tabled in Nunavut’s legislature March 7.

“Overwhelmingly, the majority of communities felt public safety needed to improve on Nunavut roads,” said the report, which used data compiled by Nunavut’s Department of Economic Development and Transportation.

“Concerns were not just speeding motor vehicles or careless operators of ATVs or snowmobiles, but protecting the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians.”

The consultation based its findings on data collected from approximately 650 surveys completed during 2016, along with 700 one-to-one meetings.

The Department of Economic Development and Transportation said surveys were submitted from 13 Nunavut jurisdictions, or just over half of Nunavut’s 25 communities.

Some of the proposed penalties supported by residents include automatic suspensions, mandatory medical assessments and vehicle impoundment for driving while suspended.

And 79 per cent surveyed support a graduated license program for young or new drivers.

Some other topics of note:

• 85 per cent of Nunavummiut expressed concerns about speeding in their communities;

• 81 per cent support mandatory helmet use while driving or riding all-terrain vehicles;

• 61 per cent support motor vehicles passing a mechanical inspection prior to registration in the territory, as well as at regular intervals; and,

• 54 per cent support requiring vehicles in Nunavut to pass an emission test

A majority of communities approached by ED&T also supported vehicle disposal legislation, but the report noted “there was concern about the territory’s ability to support such a program.”

Last year, ED&T’s transportation and policy director, Art Stewart, told Iqaluit’s city council that his department was already exploring policies implementing a Nunavut-wide car-import levy.

Money collected from the levy would be used in a territorial slush fund that municipalities could access to help dispose of their abandoned vehicles.

Nunavut’s existing Motor Vehicles Act was adopted from the Northwest Territories in 1999 and remains substantially unchanged since that point.

ED&T stated goals with its amendment address “specific Nunavut road safety concerns,” changes in public attitude towards driver behavior and to bring the territory up to speed with federal transportation agreements.