星岛日报综合报道/当朋友要借你的车时，一定要保证他或她持有有效的驾照，否则你就可能付上数百元的代价。
从12月1日开始，如果安省驾车者的驾照根据《公路交通法》(Highway Traffic Act)已经被停牌，而他或她又被抓到在驾驶汽车，他或她所驾驶的车辆就要被警方暂时扣留，并被拖到暂存待领的场地停放7天。如果他或她驾驶的不是自己的车辆，车主在领车之前，要支付所有的拖车和存放费用。
警方估计，四分之三被停牌的驾车者仍在安省非法驾车。根据安省交通厅通讯部门发言人尼科尔斯(Bob Nichols)的说法，安省2009年按照《公路交通法》共发出250,797个停牌命令。
公共安全倡权组织安省安全联盟(Ontario Safety League)的主席柏特森(Brian Patterson)表示，早就该执行更为严格的扣车条例。他说，被停牌的驾车者继续驾车，是因为他们觉得风险很低，他们不会被捉到，但停牌后仍然驾车确实是一个大问题，被停牌已经清楚显示该驾车者具有高风险。
根据交通厅网站上的统计数据，安省发生的所有致命和受伤交通事故中，约2.3%涉及被停牌和吊销牌照的驾车者。按照《公路交通法》，驾车者可因许多种违例而被停牌，其中包括没有支付法庭命令的赡养费、违章积分达到一定数目及其他违反《公路交通法》的行为，如疏忽驾驶。
针对停牌者酒后驾驶
新的7日扣车条例变动也针对因驾车时血液酒精浓度超过.08而被停牌的人士，或因没有提供呼气测试样本而被停牌的人士，以及需要在车上安装酒精测试发动锁定装置却驾驶没有这种装置的车辆的人士。
柏特森同时指出，如果商业司机被抓到停牌期间驾车，公司可能会承受巨额损失。他说，不仅车主要支付拖车和停放费用，而且这辆车在这段时期内还不能当作收入源来使用。
根据新的扣车条例，如果驾车者因违反《公路交通法》而被停牌的时间少于100日，商业车辆就不会被拖走和扣留。不过，如果驾车者的血液酒精浓度超过.08，或违反安装酒精测试发动锁定装置的要求，或被停牌100日及100日以上，7日扣车条例也将适用于商业公司。
资料来源：星报
停牌扣车对付欠付赡养费者
星岛日报/安省下月1起扩大扣押汽车的范围，对包括没有缴付赡养费而被罚停牌的人士，如被发现仍然驾驶者，其汽车会被立即扣押7天，专责家庭民事诉讼律师黄严焕卿对新措施极表欢迎。她相信新例有助改善拖欠赡养费的情况。
黄严焕卿表示，安省政府很久以前制订公路交通法例，以配合击拖欠赡费的人士，将他们处以停牌，直至这些人士履行法庭的承诺，缴清所有拖欠的赡养费，方会终止停牌处分。
黄严焕卿称，本地华社拖欠赡养费的人着实不少，纵然他们有部分可能很富裕，但总是想尽办法逃避法庭的判决，不时拖欠，甚至不缴付赡养费。一般来说，拖欠者收到政府警告函件，表示如不缴清赡养费将会被停牌的通知时，他们大多会在限期前付清所有拖欠的赡养费。政府在执行过追讨赡养费的工作时，对于经常蓄意不依时缴付赡养费，要政府三催四请的人士，可能会额外征收数百元的行政费，以示惩戒。政府代追赡养费的途径，除引用安省公路法将拖欠者停牌外，亦可暂时取消拖欠人的护照，不准他们离境。
料较监禁更有效
黄严焕卿表示，对于省府的新措施，对因拖欠赡养费被停牌仍违规驾驶的人士，立即拖走他们的汽车，拘押7天的做法表示支持，认为这新的严峻法例，是正确及比收监更有效。
她表示，曾见过不少拖欠赡养费的个案，拖欠者如被停牌，他们在法庭上会以不同的理由申辩，请求法庭撤消他的停牌令，而他们大多数理由无非是没有驾照就不能开车，不能开车就不能上班赚钱支付赡养费。她认为新例对于那些惯于拖欠赡养费的人，是极有效的警惕及惩罚，将可减少拖欠赡养费的情况。
Driving With A Suspended Licence Could Cost You Your Vehicle
November 8, 2010
McGuinty Government Protecting Ontario Families
Starting December 1st, police will have more tools to get suspended and impaired drivers off our roads. This change will also mean added enforcement against people who have had their driver’s licences suspended for consistently not paying family support.
The new 7-day vehicle impoundment will apply to drivers whose licences are suspended for:
Driving while under certain Highway Traffic Act licence suspensions including non-payment of family support
Driving with a blood alcohol concentration over .08 (beyond the legal limit) or for failing/refusing to provide a breath sample
Driving without an ignition interlock device when one is required.
These changes are part of the Road Safety Act, 2009 and will make Ontario’s roads safer for all drivers.
QUOTES
“Drivers who continue to get behind the wheel and put others at risk when their licence is suspended are unacceptable. To keep our roads safe, police have been given the tools to get these drivers off our roads”
– Kathleen Wynne
Transportation Minister
“Good parents do the right thing and pay to support their children, but sometimes we need to take stronger action. This new measure adds to the Family Responsibility Office’s enforcement measures, and will help us recover support payments owed to Ontario children and families.”
– Madeleine Meilleur
Minister of Community and Social Services
“MADD Canada is pleased to see Ontario introducing new vehicle impoundment measures to deal with drivers who repeatedly disregard the law. Impounding vehicles is an effective option for dealing with those drivers who do not get the message and continue to drive impaired or while suspended.”
– Andrew Murie
Chief Executive Officer, MADD Canada
“This new law will help save lives because it will provide police with the necessary tools to seize vehicles from drivers who, through irresponsible driving behaviour, put the motoring public and their families at risk of serious injury and death.”
– Chris Lewis
Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner
QUICK FACTS
Driving while suspended is a serious issue across North America. It is estimated that up to three-quarters of all suspended drivers continue to drive.
Approximately 2.3 per cent of all fatal and injury crashes in Ontario involve drivers with suspended or revoked licences.
Annually, Ontario issues approximately 17,000 licence suspensions related to driving with a blood alcohol concentration over .08 and/or for failing/refusing to provide a breath sample.
Between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010, the Family Responsibility Office suspended 3,965 driver’s licenses.
LEARN MORE
7-Day Vehicle Impoundment
Get the facts about Ontario’s drinking and driving laws
Read about Ontario’s vehicle impoundment programs
Find out more about Ontario’s Family Responsibility Office
