Couillard government wants to make winter tire deadline earlier

Drivers may have to start the scramble to install their winter tires a month earlier in the coming years.

The Couillard government wants to make some revisions to the province's Highway Safety Code,Radio-Canada has confirmed.

Among the proposed changes:

• Bumping the mandatory deadline for installing winter tires up by a month, to Nov.15. The current deadline is Dec. 15.
• Tripling the penalties for drivers caught texting at the wheel, from $100 for a first offence and $200 for subsequent offences to $300 and $600, respectively.
• Implementing adriving ban between midnight and 5 a.m. for those with probationarylicences and learner's permits.
• Limiting to three the number of passengers allowed in cars driven by probationary licence holders.

The requirements were first proposed by former transport minister Robert Potitwo years ago, but were shelved until recently.

A bill containing the changes is expected to be tabled next week, before the Christmas break begins at the National Assembly. It could possibly be passed before the start of next year's election.

Last year, the Couillard governmentamendedthe Highway Safety Code to requiredrivers to stay at least one metre away from bicycles sharingtheir lane and brought in stiffer finesfor "dooring."