Ontario has no plans to penalize slow drivers out of passing lanes

TORONTO – Ontario’s minister of transportation currently doesn’t have any plans to crack down on slow drivers in the passing lane on 400-series highways.

Stephen Del Duca’s counterpart in British Columbia currently announced plans to introduce a bill giving police more power to penalize drivers who back up traffic by driving slowly in the left-most passing lane.

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But Del Duca doesn’t have any plans to follow suit.

“I think we have the appropriate measures in place right now in the province of Ontario. We don’t have any plans right now to follow B.C. on this particular item,” he told reporters at Queen’s Park Tuesday.

Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act does spell out when the left-hand passing lane can be used. The act says the left lane should be left open for passing and vehicles travelling slower than “the normal speed of traffic” must use the right lane. The act also says that vehicles should only pass in left-hand lanes.

– With files from Alan Carter