Canada coroner calls for curfew
After performing toxicology tests on four young adults from Quebec who were killed in a traffic accident last October, a coroner believes Canadian officials should restrict young people from driving late at night.
According to the Canadian Press, coroner Yvon Garneau suggests that the government impose a curfew on all drivers between the ages of 16 and 24. Garneau told the news service that the ideal times to set the driving ban would be between midnight and 5 a.m., with exceptions for young people who work nights.
While the deaths of the four boys in October are part of the reason Garneau is making these suggestions, Garneau told CTV in a recent interview that too many young people are dying on the roadways late at night. Garneau told the news station that 139 motorists between the ages of 16 and 24 died last year in Quebec, 10 more than in 2009.
Since the Quebec Highway Safety Code was amended in 2008, provincial authorities have increased the penalties for impaired driving, especially for young drivers. In addition to paying higher auto insurance rates, a positive blood-alcohol test leads to the immediate suspension of driving privileges and costly fines.