An interesting scenario.

[damngrumpy]

Yup the grandpa should be charged. He is responsible for the driver under the current
law. No he was not behind the wheel but he is responsible what his grandson is doing.
In BC the supervisor is responsible simple as that. Grandpa also put into question the
conditions under which the new driver or learning is working under.
I feel sorry for the grandson and the grandpa should be more responsible and set a
proper example about accepting responsibility for ones actions.

 

[karrie]

Read that article and it got me to thinking about our graduated licensing program. I thought for certain in Ontario there were restrictions on alcohol consumption for the supervising driver and I was correct;

Ontario G1 License Requirements and Restrictions

What I find so odd is that there is not the same kind of restrictions in B.C. My understanding is the whole reason the experienced driver is required to remain sober is in case they need to take control of the vehicle.

I'm still not clear on whether grandfather was the supervisor because the driver was at L level, or if he was the supervisor because he was at N level and there were others in the car.

For an L level, or G1 in your province, or a learner's permit elsewhere, I agree... a supervisor ought to be sober incase the new driver gets nervous and needs to be relieved.

But, if it's an N level driver, or a G2 where you're at, they have proven the capability to drive, and now the rationale behind a supervisory passenger when carrying more than one passenger, is to prevent teenage behaviours, not to relieve the driver.

Yup the grandpa should be charged. He is responsible for the driver under the current
law. No he was not behind the wheel but he is responsible what his grandson is doing.
In BC the supervisor is responsible simple as that. Grandpa also put into question the
conditions under which the new driver or learning is working under.
I feel sorry for the grandson and the grandpa should be more responsible and set a
proper example about accepting responsibility for ones actions.

That's the way we assume the law works, but it's not actually how the laws are written in BC apparently.

 

[SLM]

I'm still not clear on whether grandfather was the supervisor because the driver was at L level, or if he was the supervisor because he was at N level and there were others in the car.

For an L level, or G1 in your province, or a learner's permit elsewhere, I agree... a supervisor ought to be sober incase the new driver gets nervous and needs to be relieved.

But, if it's an N level driver, or a G2 where you're at, they have proven the capability to drive, and now the rationale behind a supervisory passenger when carrying more than one passenger, is to prevent teenage behaviours, not to relieve the driver.

Yes, the article is very unclear on that point. And we don't have a supervisory passenger provision for a G2 driver here, simply restrictions on how many under 19 passengers can be in the car with a G2 driver, so I think that's what was throwing me off.

Still, when I looked over the L level restrictions I didn't see anything about the supervisory driver needing to remain sober. Did I miss it or is it really not a requirement?

 

[karrie]

Yes, the article is very unclear on that point. And we don't have a supervisory passenger provision for a G2 driver here, simply restrictions on how many under 19 passengers can be in the car with a G2 driver, so I think that's what was throwing me off.

Still, when I looked over the L level restrictions I didn't see anything about the supervisory driver needing to remain sober. Did I miss it or is it really not a requirement?

For G2 drivers, according to the link you gave me, if they have more than one passenger in the vehicle with them, one must be a fully licensed driver, sitting in the passenger seat.

And no, according to the article I posted, which references actual muckity mucks in the government, the law does not necessitate the supervisor be sober, as currently written.

 

[JLM]

Yup the grandpa should be charged. He is responsible for the driver under the current
law. No he was not behind the wheel but he is responsible what his grandson is doing.
In BC the supervisor is responsible simple as that. Grandpa also put into question the
conditions under which the new driver or learning is working under.
I feel sorry for the grandson and the grandpa should be more responsible and set a
proper example about accepting responsibility for ones actions.

Right on Grump- Accepting responsibility is the key issue, but very few people recognize that anymore, it's more like looking for a loophole to duck through and then sue if you can! -

 

[SLM]

For G2 drivers, according to the link you gave me, if they have more than one passenger in the vehicle with them, one must be a fully licensed driver, sitting in the passenger seat.

I'm sorry, my bad, I thought I was on the Ministry of Transportation site before.

In addition, the following restrictions apply between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. to G2 drivers aged 19 years and under.

• In the first six months after receiving your G2 licence, you are allowed to carry only one passenger aged 19 or under.
• After six months with your G2 licence and until you obtain your full G licence or turn 20, you are allowed to carry up to three passengers aged 19 or under.

Exemptions: The passenger restrictions for G2 drivers aged 19 and under do not apply if you are accompanied by a fully-licensed driver in the front passenger seat, or if the passengers are members of your immediate family (a guardian or those related to you by blood, marriage, common-law relationship or adoption).

They're exempted from the restrictions if they have a fully licensed driver, but it's not a requirement to have a fully licensed driver at the G2 level. I must have posted the wrong link before? Weird, not that it matters anyway, lol, but just to correct myself.



Driver's Handbook

And no, according to the article I posted, which references actual muckity mucks in the government, the law does not necessitate the supervisor be sober, as currently written.

I find that quite irresponsible, to not require sobriety of a supervisory driver.

 

[JLM]

One other consideration, usually where alcohol involved in conjunction with vehicle operation the words "care and control" come up quite often.

Driver's Handbook


I find that quite irresponsible, to not require sobriety of a supervisory driver.

To say the least! -