Bill 23, the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act 2023, is new legislation that proposes to implement a requirement for speed limiters on class 7 and class 8 heavy trucks in British Columbia. Under the proposed new sections of the Motor Vehicle Act, heavy trucks will require active and functioning speed limiters with top speeds written into regulation. Authorities will have the ability to enter any truck to inspect the speed limiters. While the intention of these provisions is to improve road safety, it has us concerned about government surveillance, privacy, state intrusion and whether we’re starting down a slippery slope.
One big concern we have with this legislation is the potential for authorities to access data collected by the speed limiters. The data collected by these devices could be used to track the movements and activities of truck drivers, which could be accessed by authorities for law enforcement purposes.
Of course, these changes will affect different groups differently within the trucking industry. The implementation of speed limiters on heavy trucks will have particular implications for owner-operators versus larger trucking companies. For owner-operators, who typically own and operate their own trucks, the cost of installing and maintaining speed limiters could be a significant financial burden. On the other hand, big trucking companies, which own fleets of trucks, may have an easier time implementing this change and could even benefit from reduced insurance premiums due to the perception of improved road safety. In this sense, this is a win for the trucking companies that can squeeze out the small operators.
The data could also be used for other purposes, such as monitoring the behaviour of truck drivers for other regulatory compliance purposes, raising concerns about privacy and the role of government surveillance. In an already heavily regulated industry, where trucking companies already use many methods to track their drivers, we now see the government getting on board with one more type of invasive surveillance tool. Bearing in mind that drivers sleep in their trucks and often spend their rest time in their trucks, one gets the sense that this is another tool to chip away at their privacy. And one wonders about what comes next.
The implementation of speed limiters on heavy trucks could also lead to a slippery slope effect, where other types of vehicles may be subject to similar measures. There are already discussions about extending the speed limiter requirements to busses and lighter-duty trucks, and there is a possibility that pickups and cars may also be included in the future. One wonders how far government surveillance may go and whether individual freedoms will continue to be eroded in the name of safety.
The implementation of speed limiters may improve road safety. It also raises important questions about the role of technology in regulating behaviour. As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in our lives, it is important to consider the ethical and moral implications of relying on technology to regulate human behaviour. Many of us feel that this increasing government surveillance is dehumanizing and unworthy of a free and democratic society where we are understood to be free to live our lives without the government watching and grading our every move. To put it bluntly, this is Canada, not China.
The Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, of 2023, will come into law and create a requirement for speed limiters on heavy trucks in British Columbia. The intention of this bill is to improve road safety. It has raised significant concerns about government surveillance and privacy. We all understand that technological advancements more and more easily allow the government to monitor our every move and collect evidence to be used against us. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether this is where we want to go in our society. Whether it is ethical, appropriate or desirable to keep making steps toward more total government surveillance of our every move, regardless of whether we’re behind the wheel.