Province surveys truckers on safer chain-up rules

KAMLOOPS — The provincial government is engaging commercial truck drivers on proposed chain-up regulations and related fines on B.C. highways.

“A majority of commercial vehicle operators use chains appropriately,” reads a government news release. “However, a number of winter highway closures were necessary because some drivers either were not using chains or were installing them incorrectly.”

Proposed changes include:

• An increase in the number of tires requiring chains on each commercial vehicle. The current requirement is one tire per vehicle.
• A specified industry standard for quality of chain. There is currently no set standard.
• Increasing fines for not carrying chains, bypassing an active chain-up, and causing a highway closure after bypassing an active chain-up. The current fine is $121 for not carrying chains, with no further escalating fines.