A majority of British Columbians support hiking fines for anyone interfering with an emergency vehicle.
According to a recent poll conducted by Research Co., 48 per cent of B.C. residents say the current fine for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle is too low, and 72 per cent of B.C. residents would support an increased fee.
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The poll asked B.C. residents about what they think the current fines for certain wrongdoings are, and when informed of the current fines, the respondents were overwhelmingly in favour of raising the fees.
“This really tells us that people find these behaviours very egregious, and they believe that the fines that we currently have in place are significantly higher than what is in the books when you look at the Motor Vehicle Act,” Mario Canseco, president of Research Co., told 1130 NewsRadio.
He explains that people assumed the ticket would be as steep as $400 when in reality the fine is just $109.
“It’s a behaviour that we all notice. There’s an opportunity to step aside or move to the side when there’s an emergency vehicle. And you always notice some people who believe that the opportunity just to zoom by and to continue going and not yielding, that is something that most find terrible,” Canseco said.
The numbers are particularly consistent across ages and political parties when it comes to failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.
However, there is a small discrepancy across gender lines.
“More than half of men in British Columbia say the current fine for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle is too low,” Canseco added. “Only 43 per cent of women share this view.”
Additionally, the pollster asked drivers about offences such as following a fire truck too closely and driving over a fire hose, both of which are currently fined at $81.
While 42 per cent agree to higher fees for being too close to a fire truck, one third of British Columbians say that driving over a hose should be punished with a stricter fine.
– With files from Anthony Atanasov.
