Per-kilometre speeding fines coming

The Manitoba government is changing the way speeding fines are calculated.

Attorney General Andrew Swan said on Wednesday that in January a base rate of $7.70 per kilometre over the speed limit will now be charged tolead-footed motorists caught speeding.

Currently, the provincehas fixedthecash penaltyfor speeding infractions across 10 different categories.

Swan said the change to a per-kilometre system will better reflect the gravity of the offence and offer better incentives for motorists to slow down.

As well, fines for extreme cases will now require a court appearance where a judge will assess a driver's fine, Swan said.

Swan said the changes will allow Manitoba Justice to pass on more of the cost of enforcing the tickets to drivers who break the law.