BILL NO. 400

(as introduced)

1st Session, 64th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
2 Charles III, 2023

 

Private Member's Bill

 

Motor Vehicle Act
(amended)

 

Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin
Cumberland North

First Reading: November 6, 2023

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill

(a) allows the Minister of Public Works, the Provincial Traffic Authority and municipal traffic authorities to designate an area on a highway as a high population density area and reduce the speed limit in that area to no lower than 25 kilometres per hour; and

(b) prohibits drivers from exceeding the speed limit in high population density areas.

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 Chapter 293 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Motor Vehicle Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 104 the following Section:

104A (1) The Minister, the Provincial Traffic Authority or a traffic authority may designate an area on a portion of a highway as a high population density area by placing traffic signs to indicate the beginning and end of the high population density area.

(2) Notwithstanding Sections 101 to 104, where the Minister, the Provincial Traffic Authority or a traffic authority designates a high population density area, the Minister, the Provincial Traffic Authority or the traffic authority may reduce the speed limit in the area to no lower than twenty-five kilometres per hour.

(3) Where a speed limit has been reduced under subsection (2), the Minister, the Provincial Traffic Authority or the traffic authority, as the case may be, shall

(a) place a traffic sign at the beginning of the high population density area to notify drivers of the reduced speed limit in the high population density area; and

(b) place a traffic sign at the end of the high population density area to notify drivers of the speed limit in effect immediately after the high population density area ends.

(4) A driver shall not exceed the speed limit in a high population density area.

(5) Any person who violates subsection (4) is guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a penalty prescribed by the regulations.

(6) Subject to the approval of the Governor in Council, the Minister may make regulations prescribing penalties for the purpose of subsection (5).

(7) The exercise by the Minister of the authority in subsection (6) is a regulation within the meaning of the Regulations Act.