Police officers across British Columbia will soon be ditching their pens and issuing roadside electronic traffic violation tickets, also known as eTickets.
The electronic ticket system is part of a pilot program that the province hopes will improve accuracy and save time when issuing tickets.
Officers utilizing the new program will scan drivers’ licence information into a new online ticket template that auto-populates offence details. In turn, vehicle-mounted equipment in police cars will share this information with partners like ICBC, eliminating the need to mail tickets and to re-enter the details.
The Delta Police Department will launch the new program today. The Vancouver Police Department is scheduled to begin issuing eTickets on April 2, Prince George Municipal and North District RCMP on April 16 and the Capital Regional District Integrated Road Safety Unit (Vancouver Island) on April 30.
The pilot program will wrap up in mid-May and report to the ministry in the summer, informing the consideration of a provincial rollout.
“If we can make it harder for bad drivers to avoid the consequences of their decisions, and we can identify more quickly those drivers who perhaps shouldn’t be on the road, that will help us to prevent crashes, save lives and keep auto insurance affordable,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “Based on the program’s design and success in other jurisdictions, we’re optimistic that we’ll see these results during the pilot.”
The contents, penalties and validity of eTickets will be the same as traditional tickets. However, those receiving an eTicket will be able to pay through PayBC, a new online service, or through the usual payment methods.
