As of July 1, if you’re driving on a Manitoba road that has been closed to traffic, you could be hit with some big fines.
The province’s amendments to the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act come into force on Saturday, transportation minister Doyle Piwniuk said, and that includes new offences for driving on closed roads.
Under the Provincial Offences Act, preset fines for driving on closed roads will get you dinged for $298 if you’re in a light vehicle like a car or an SUV and $672 if you’re driving a heavy vehicle.
If you direct an employee to drive on a closed road, those fines increase even more to $672 for a light vehicle and $1,296 for a heavy vehicle.
On top of the hefty fines, Piwniuk said, drivers will also be penalized with two demerit points on their licence, and it’ll be up to law enforcement whether they want to send drivers to court for more potential penalties.
Similar laws are already on the books in provinces including B.C., Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
“We have heard from the RCMP that drivers ignore road closure signs and barricades and proceed to use roads that have been closed due to severe weather and other hazardous conditions,” Piwniuk said on Friday.
“This puts motorists, law enforcement, emergency responders, operators of snow-clearing equipment and road maintenance staff in danger.”
In a statement, Manitoba RCMP Insp. Michael Gagliardi said it has always been illegal to go around a closed-road barricade, but the new changes to the act will make the job of police easier when it comes to enforcement.
“Far too many times, we have seen vehicles ignore the barricades or find ways around them, such as using service roads, and it is very dangerous,” he said.
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