As pedestrians, motorists and cyclists in Nova Scotia get set to adopt new road rules, the province’s public works minister says he’s confident in enforcement measures. “The police agencies in Nova Scotia, whether it be RCMP or municipal forces, are very professional at their job. They know how to do enforcement. I would never tell them how to do that. We’re very confident in their work,” says Fred Tilley. The province has taken things a step further by beefing up penalties. “Where there’s an infraction that causes injury or potential death to a vulnerable road user, that penalty is doubled and the suspensions are longer.” He says one example is the new “dooring” offence, which is described as “failing to take precautions before opening a vehicle door.” The dooring offence comes with a maximum $600 dollar fine. “If I’m about to get out of my car on the side of the road, I need to look over my shoulder. I need to open the door and exit quickly and get my door closed before some other traffic, whether it be pedestrian, whether it be a cycle or another vehicle, is coming by and I create a potential hazard.” Dalhousie University transportation professor Ahsan Habib says adding the dooring offence was a good move by the province. “Bringing that into a legal framework, it will enhance bike safety, as well as safety for all types of interactions,” says Habib. “Traffic collisions happen where the probabilities of interactions are higher… so I think this is very progressive.” “What I would like to see is increasing the awareness part of it so that we take responsibility, and we are making sure that no one gets hurt.” For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
