The Province will soon introduce legislation to improve safety on Island roads by limiting the use of right-hand- drive vehicles, says Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Ron MacKinley.
“Many right-hand-drive vehicles do not meet North American safety and emissions standards and they are involved in more collisions than left-hand-drive vehicles,” said the minister. “By limiting the use of these vehicles, we can avoid a highway safety concern.”
Currently, all imported vehicles 15 years or older are exempt from Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations. This exemption is designed for classic cars which enter the country in very low numbers where use is also low. Those vehicles generally pose little risk to Canadian citizens. But, in recent years, the number of right-hand-drive vehicles entering the country has risen significantly, and the vast majority of those vehicles are not classic cars, but instead mini trucks, vans and other regular use vehicles that do not meet national safety and emissions standards. Because this represents a growing risk for drivers, the Province is drafting legislation to limit the use of right-hand-drive vehicles.
Once legislation is passed, right-hand-drive vehicles will have to meet Canadian Motor Vehicles Safety Standards in order to be registered. Vehicles that have already been registered in the province can continue to be used. There are currently less than 30 of these vehicles in the province. Vehicles used for specific work purposes will be among the exemptions for the coming legislation.