laws

Changes are coming to traffic rules in Nova Scotia to try and make things safer and more modern.

They include things like a law to address dooring of oncoming traffic, and extended use of child car seats.

Public Works Minister Fred Tilley says it is a monumental task.

“The original motor vehicle act written in 1920, containing I think 300 pages of material, condensed down to a workable flexible format,” says Tilley.

The first set of changes began Wednesday. The new act, called the Traffic Safety Act, will replace the Motor Vehicle Act.

It comes after years of work and input from more than 50 groups, including The Insurance Bureau of Canada, The Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association, The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, and cycling groups, according to the province.

On top of dooring and car seat rules, the government says it will also address allowances for emergency vehicles and tow trucks, establish bike lane rules, and make it easier to update traffic laws and make some clarifications to language, the government says.

It will also:

• implement distracted driving rules that address current technology
• create a framework for inclusive cyclist rules of the road
• update language and responsibilities for municipal traffic authorities
• create a framework to improve child passenger safety, driver visibility and vehicle condition standards
• allow for clearer rules for emergency vehicles, school buses and emerging vehicle types.

The last major revision of the Motor Vehicle Act was in 1989. Since then, it was amended more than 60 times, the province says.

Tilley says this is finally catching Nova Scotia up to the 21^st century.

“There’s been a lot of work on the [Traffic Safety Act] since 2018, and I’m really proud of this team because in 2025, we put this together, and within a year, it’s been implemented,” says Tilley.

Meanwhile, an advocacy group is throwing in their support for new changes to car seat laws.

The car seat changes require children to be in backwards facing seats until two years old, and in a five-point harness seat until at least four.

The Child Passenger Safety Association says this adresses two important things the group has reccomended.

President Katherine Hutka says this makes Nova Scotia a leader in the country and other provinces should take note.

“These changes bring the law closer to the evidence and the capabilities of today’s car seats. We commend the province for taking action and encourage other provinces and territories to build on this progress,” says Hutka in a news release.

She adds that car seats today are designed to be used by children longer, so parents do not necessarily need to buy another one to stay compliant with these new laws.