Named after Andrew Cristillo, a father of three killed in a 2025 collision, the new law brings tougher licence suspensions, vehicle impoundment and higher penalties for dangerous driving.
By Staff Writer
Ontario has passed a new set of dangerous-driving penalties known as Andrew’s Law, named after Andrew Cristillo, a 35-year-old Stouffville husband and father of three who was killed in a crash last summer.
The measures are part of Bill 75, the Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2026, which received Royal Assent on June 2, 2026, according to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The bill amends several provincial laws, including the Highway Traffic Act.
Andrew’s Law was introduced after Cristillo was killed on Aug. 3, 2025, in a head-on crash in Whitchurch-Stouffville. His wife and three daughters were also injured. The case drew wider attention after reports that the accused driver had previously faced dangerous-driving and stunt-driving charges.
The law gives police the power to immediately suspend a driver’s licence for 90 days and impound a vehicle for seven days when they have reason to believe a person was driving dangerously. It also creates an indefinite licence suspension for anyone convicted of dangerous operation causing death under the Criminal Code, with possible reinstatement only after at least 25 years.
The province says the goal is to remove high-risk drivers from the road sooner and impose stronger consequences in the most serious cases. Ontario’s official announcement said the measures were intended to crack down on dangerous driving and protect road users.
The law also increases penalties for driving while suspended. Under the Highway Traffic Act changes, fines rise to $2,000 to $10,000 for a first offence, $5,000 to $15,000 for a first subsequent offence, and $10,000 to $20,000 for further subsequent offences.
Cristillo’s family had pushed for stronger dangerous-driving laws after his death. A petition connected to the campaign drew more than 42,000 supporters, according to NewmarketToday, and the province later linked the dangerous-driving measures in Bill 75 to the family’s advocacy.
For communities across Ontario, including Richmond Hill and York Region, the law could change what happens immediately after serious dangerous-driving incidents. Instead of waiting only for the courts to determine penalties after a conviction, police will have stronger roadside tools to remove a suspected dangerous driver from the road right away.
Critics, however, argue that Andrew’s Law mainly responds after dangerous driving has already happened. Road-safety advocates often warn that tougher penalties cannot replace prevention: safer street design, lower vehicle speeds, protected crossings, better lighting, traffic calming and enforcement in areas where people walk, bike, wait for buses or cross major roads. The law may bring accountability, but critics say Ontario still needs to do more to prevent the next crash before it occurs.