(Quebec) The Legault government does not rule out imposing up to nine demerit points on drivers who do not respect the speed and the rules in school zones.
Transport Minister Geneivève Guilbault mentioned this option on Friday morning, after being questioned by children asking her to improve road safety around schools.
In a debate on this issue at the Blue Room, Ms. Guilbault gave the example of the penalty imposed on motorists who do not stop when the lights of a school bus are flashing, i.e. nine demerit points. She would be prepared to amend the Highway Safety Code accordingly.
“It’s something we look at too. It’s still a salty punishment: you think twice before going too fast, next to a school bus. So why not apply the same principle to breaking [the rules]? »
Just before the debate, the minister went to the hall of the Assembly to meet a group of students who had been invited by the opposition to testify to the dangers of walking to school.
The young Alexis Tremblay gave the Minister a small orange cone he had made, on which he had drawn roads and characters.
Both the Liberal Party (PLQ), Québec solidaire (QS) and the Parti Québécois (PQ) are asking in particular for changes to the Highway Safety Code, but above all for rapid developments around schools to slow down traffic, projections, sidewalks, etc. .
During the debate, Ms. Guilbault recalled that the government had set up a program for municipalities that funds up to 50% of eligible expenses for facilities around schools.