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Good morning and thank you all for coming.
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I�m joined this morning by Dr. Andrew Major,
president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, and
Donna Kelland, the assistant deputy minister for Government Services.
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I also want to acknowledge the presence in
the audience of Staff-Sergeant June Layden from the Royal Newfoundland
Constabulary; Sergeant Peter McKay of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
and Dr. David Price, a pediatric surgeon from the Janeway Hospital.
Thank you all for coming out this morning.
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I will read a brief statement, followed by a
few words from Dr. Major.
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The improper use of ATVs and the related
injuries and deaths is a significant issue in this province. Incidents
involving ATVs have focused attention on the laws governing their use
and enforcement.
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Last June we had a case in this province
where an 11-year-old girl was seriously injured when the full-sized ATV
she was operating rolled over. Two women walking along the road in
Colinet were hospitalized in November after being struck by an ATV being
operated on the road.
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These incidents occurred despite the fact
that we have laws in place against the activity involved in both of
them.
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This is clearly a serious public policy
issue. The public and the health professionals who deal with these
injuries first-hand, have been pleading with government to bring in
tougher measures to bring this activity under control.
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This is not to say our law enforcement
agencies have not been doing everything in their power to enforce the
legislation. We applaud the recent efforts by police in various parts of
the province to crackdown on abuse, but they can�t be on every corner.
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This is why we are announcing measures today
that will assist them in the job they do, and also hopefully reduce the
incidents of abuse that are resulting in injuries, particularly among
children.
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I am announcing today that we are increasing
the minimum age to operate an adult-sized ATV in the province to 16
years.
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Canadian medical research indicates that
children under 16 do not have the judgment, maturity or physical
strength to operate these powerful machines. A significant number of all
ATV injuries in this province annually are children between the ages of
five and 14.
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At the same time, we recognize the benefit
of allowing 14- and 15-year olds to learn to operate an ATV on smaller
machines with an engine size no more than 90 cc, under adult
supervision.
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A person under 14 years of age will no
longer be permitted to operate any size ATV.
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The measures come after a review by the
department of the regulations in other provinces, consultations with
user groups, a joint position paper on the subject from provincial
health associations, and ongoing ATV-related injuries.
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As under present legislation, northern
Labrador is exempt from the new age requirement until further
consultation, in recognition of the reliance in that isolated portion of
the province on ATVs for a wide variety of purposes.
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In an attempt to reduce the injuries and
deaths associated with this activity, we are also developing a safety
awareness campaign to promote the safe use of ATVs in all parts of the
province.
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To do this, the one-time fee to register an
ATV will increase to $50 to cover the cost of the campaign and to
provide for more easily identifiable licence plates to assist with
enforcement.
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We are also doubling a number of fines and
penalties to provide a greater deterrent against illegal use.
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The maximum fine for careless driving will
increase from $500 to $1,000, while the fine for driving under the
influence will triple for a first offence to $1,500. It will also
include a new provision for vehicle seizure. The fine for not wearing a
helmet will double to $400.
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We are also introducing a 12-month amnesty
on the payment of provincial sales tax for ATVs that have previously
changed hands in private sales to encourage the proper re-registration
by owners of these vehicles.
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This will help to ensure owner/operator
responsibility through improved identification of these vehicles.
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We want to help police identify the owner of
these machines, as well as allow residents to be able to report the
presence of nuisance machines in their neighbourhoods.
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After the 12-month amnesty period,
owners of ATVs that are not properly registered can be fined $400.
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We believe we are taking a positive step to
get this activity under control for the safety and protection of
operators and residents, and to reduce the abusive use of these machines
in residential areas and on town streets.
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The department will also conduct further
consultation on the question of mandatory insurance and operator
training, as well as enhanced safety measures around the use of
snowmobiles. We hope to have recommendations for consideration by
Cabinet on those issues in the fall. Thank you.
