Q & A - 3 Passengers 2 Seats

Q&A ImageQ: I'm wondering what the offense is if I carry 3 passengers in a vehicle that's only equipped for two? If one passenger was seated on the floor / a box between the two installed seats? It's a 3 ton truck.

A: No, you cannot do this legally. Following the deaths of 3 farm workers in the collision of an overloaded 15 passenger van in Abbotsford in 2007, the provincial government added Division 39 to the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations. This legislation essentially means that you can only carry one person per seat and only on seats that were installed by the manufacturer when the vehicle was produced.

The onus is on the driver to insure that the rules are complied with and there are penalties for the carrier, owner or employer of the driver as well.

There are exemptions, most commonly a city transit bus, but chances are excellent that you would not qualify.

The penalties can be significant and are found in the Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation.


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