BC erwägt „Xaviers Gesetz“, um gegen Autofahrer vorzugehen, die Todesfälle verursachen
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/xaviers-law-speeding-driver-penalties-death-1.6434929
BC erwägt „Xaviers Gesetz“, um gegen Autofahrer vorzugehen, die Todesfälle verursachen
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/xaviers-law-speeding-driver-penalties-death-1.6434929
5 Kommentare
>The couple are pushing for reforms — which they are calling „Xavier’s Law“ — that would introduce immediate driving bans for drivers involved in incidents causing death, suspending their licence pending the completion of a police investigation and/or their court case.
I agree whole-heartedly *in spirit*, but I have serious doubts about this. I would suggest going even farther, and seizing and destroying/selling the vehicles of the drivers involved in pedestrian related incidents.
But I am reminded of the situation in China, where tough penalties for drivers has given rise to a terrible situation. Because the penalties are so high there is greater incentive to [ensure that the pedestrian does not survive the incident to](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/09/why-drivers-in-china-intentionally-kill-the-pedestrians-they-hit-chinas-laws-have-encouraged-the-hit-to-kill-phenomenon.html) inform authorities.
Ultimately, the greatest method of improving safety for pedestrians is superior road design. Use methods proven to slow down traffic naturally, and there will be less pedestrian casualties. But those methods typically run up against popular dissent *because* they slow down traffic. We need to tackle our car culture if we’re going to see serious change.
There is already an ability to prohibit a driver. If the driver was intoxicated, there can be a roadside driving prohibition given before charges are approved. If the driver was not intoxicated, they can be arrested and released on conditions or given significant tickets before charges are approved
I’m all for this. Driving isn’t a right. It’s totally absurd to me that you can get drunk, get behind the wheel and kill someone and in all likelihood you will be allowed to drive legally at some point in the future again. At minimum people like that should never be let behind the wheel again.
I think we should punish bad driving much more, but I don’t think it should rely on the result.
If someone is drunk and gets in a crash that causes minor injuries I blame them a lot more than someone who makes a mistake that ends in a tragedy.
The civil system is to make you whole for injuries, the government should be concerned with regulating and punishing actions not outcomes.
BC already has a mechanism to do this under the Motor Vehicle Act. The police can submit a report for the government to review which can lead to an immediate administrative prohibition from driving for a set period of time. The province often has the enforcement tools to address bad driving behaviour. The issue may be that these enforcement methods are underutilized or ineffective in addressing the issue. See [High Risk Driving Incident Report](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/roadsafetybc/high-risk-driver)