Seat belt legislation in Canada

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Seat belt legislation in Canada is left to the provinces. All provinces in Canada have primary enforcement seat belt laws, which allow a police officer to stop and ticket a driver if they observed a violation. Ontario was the first province to pass a law which required vehicle occupants to wear seat belts, a law that came into effect on January 1, 1976. [1]

Contents

The laws by province

This table contains a brief summary of all seatbelt laws in Canada. [2] [3] This list includes only seatbelt laws, which often do not themselves apply to children; however, all provinces and territories have separate child restraint laws. A subsequent offense may be higher.

Province/TerritoryDate of inceptionWho is coveredBase fine before feesDemerit points assignedUsage [4]
Flag of Alberta.svg Alberta July 1, 1987Anyone in driver's seat or passenger seat [5] $162092.0%
Flag of British Columbia.svg British Columbia October 1, 1977Age 16+ in all seats$167096.9%
Flag of Manitoba.svg Manitoba April 1, 1984Age 16+ in all seats$299.65293.8%
Flag of New Brunswick.svg New Brunswick November 1, 1983Age 16+ in all seats$172.50294.8%
Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador.svg Newfoundland and Labrador July 1, 1982Age 16+ in all seats$115293.1%
Flag of the Northwest Territories.svg Northwest Territories July 1, 1988Age 15+ in all seats

Passenger <15 [6]

$150

$200 [7]

284.9%
Flag of Nova Scotia.svg Nova Scotia January 1, 1985Age 16+ in all seats$157.50290.1%
Flag of Ontario.svg Ontario January 1, 1976Age 16+ in all seats$240296.0%
Flag of Prince Edward Island.svg Prince Edward Island July 1, 1987Age 16+ in all seats$110389.7%
Flag of Quebec.svg Quebec August 15, 1976Age 16+ in all seats$115–154396.0%
Flag of Saskatchewan.svg Saskatchewan July 1, 1977Age 16+ in all seats$165396.8%
Flag of Yukon.svg Yukon July 1, 1991Age 15+ in all seats$75478.1%

See also

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References

  1. "Seatbelts Saving Lives In Ontario For 35 Years". News.ontario.ca. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  2. Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators Standing Committee on Road Safety Research and Policies: Annual Monitoring Report 2010
  3. "Transport Canada: Statistics and Data". Tc.gc.ca. July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  4. "Results of Transport Canada's Rural and Urban Surveys of Seat Belt Use in Canada 2009-2010". Tc.gc.ca. January 26, 2011. Archived from the original on November 20, 2011. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
  5. Vehicle Equipment Regulation , Alberta Regulation 122/2009
  6. "Northwest Territories Motor Vehicles Act" (PDF). December 18, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  7. "NWT Summary Conviction Procedures Regulations" (PDF). December 18, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2019.