Should traffic fines in B.C. be tied to a person’s income?

Council members in New Westminster would like British Columbia to adopt a traffic-safety measure that’s been used in parts of Europe for years, one that may offer more than a slap on the wrist to speedsters who can laugh off fines of a couple hundred dollars.

A motion by New West Mayor Patrick Johnstone to tie traffic fines to ability to pay passed 5-2 on Feb. 27 and Johnstone hopes next to garner support for the concept first through the Lower Mainland Local Government Association and Union of B.C Municipalities, then the provincial government.

At the moment, the maximum fine for excessive speeding in the province is $483, whether the driver is behind the wheel of a beat-up 1995 F-Series pickup or a ’23 Huracán Sterrato — a $370,000 Lamborghini.

“This isn’t a new idea,” Johnstone said. “It’s something that has existed in Finland for a long time and is becoming a more common thing in the rest of Europe.

“Traffic safety is an important issue and one of the things that’s coming out of COVID is that it’s actually getting more dangerous in North America to be a pedestrian or cyclist. After many decades of roads getting safer, statistics show they’re starting to get more dangerous again so we’re trying to find innovative approaches to tackle that challenge.”