WHEREAS The Traffic Safety Act is an act respecting traffic safety for vehicles and drivers, including owners and operators of vehicles; and

WHEREAS the Administrator of the Act is Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), in its capacity as administrator of the Saskatchewan Auto Fund; and

WHEREAS SGI is authorized under Section 158 to impound a vehicle after an accident;

BE IT RESOLVED that The Traffic Safety Act, be amended to include impounding an abandoned vehicle on a municipal road before an accident occurs to ensure traffic safety of owners and operators of other vehicle, who are also using the road.

Response from Honourable Jim Reiter, Minister of Highways and Infrastructure:

The issue of impoundment of abandoned vehicles falls under the jurisdiction of Saskatchewan Government Insurance and, as such, I have taken the liberty of forwarding your letter to the Honourable Tim McMillan, Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance, for further response. 

Response from Honourable Tim McMillan, Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Government Insurance:

Honourable Jim Reiter, Minister of Highways and Infrastructure, has asked that I respond to your November 15, 2011 letter regarding Resolution No. 11-11M, the impoundment of abandoned vehicles.

I am pleased to inform you legislation already exists regarding the impoundment of abandoned vehicles and, as such, the proposed amendments to The Traffic Safety Act (TSA) will not be necessary.

Section 280(1) of the TSA, which is administered by SGI, allows a peace officer to seize any vehicle that is parked on a road at a place, or in a manner, that constitutes a hazard to others users of the road. In addition, Section 21 of The Highways and Transportation Act, which is administered by the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure (MHI), authorizes peace officers and employees of the MHI to remove vehicles abandoned on provincial highways.

I trust this information is helpful, and commend your association for its interest in traffic safety.