The Manitoba government is introducing amendments to the Drivers and Vehicles Act that would allow Manitoba Public Insurance to designate heavy trailers with a status that represents their condition and documents their history to increase road safety and consumer protection.
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, minister responsible for the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation, said yesterday, “We’re taking action to keep unsafe heavy trailers off Manitoba roads and making sure that when Manitobans buy a used trailer, they’re aware of its condition. This is about protecting consumers and making our roads and highways safer here in Manitoba.”
Current legislation only permits heavy trailers to receive a normal status when they are registered, even if they have been written off in Manitoba or another jurisdiction. The proposed amendments would allow heavy trailers to be assigned the same status as motor vehicles, such as salvageable, irreparable or rebuilt, in addition to normal, the minister added.
Proposed amendments would only apply to heavy trailers with a gross vehicle weight rating over 4,500 kilograms, which pose the greatest risk on the roadway due to their size and represent over 75 per cent of all trailer claims in Manitoba, the minister noted. Under the current legislation, heavy trailers are also subject to the Periodic Mandatory Vehicle Inspection program, which requires them to receive mechanical safety inspections every 12 months.
