British ColumbiaThe B.C. government says it is actively looking at options to get tougher on drivers involved in fatal crashes after the premier spoke to the family of a 12-year-old killed on Vancouver Island this past summer.B.C. premier met with the family of 12-year-old fatally struck by car and promised some reformsAndrew Kurjata · CBC News · Posted: Oct 10, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 31 minutes agoTwelve-year-old Xavier Rasul-Jankovics was killed by an alleged speeding driver on Vancouver Island. His family is now pushing for reforms that would immediately suspend the licence of any driver believed to be responsible for causing a death. (Claire Palmer/CBC)The government of British Columbia says it is looking at options to get tougher on drivers involved in fatal crashes after the premier spoke to the family of a 12-year-old killed on Vancouver Island this past summer. Xavier Rasul-Jankovics was rollerblading outside his home along a rural road in the Cowichan Valley on Aug. 25 when he was struck and killed by a vehicle.In a release, RCMP Cpl. Alex Bérubé said speed “played an important factor” in the incident, with the 17-year-old driver of the Honda Civic losing control of the vehicle.An investigation, police say, is still underway. The police force declined an interview request from CBC News.Meanwhile, Rasul-Jankovics’s family is mourning their loss and is frustrated with the the lack of answers over whether the driver of the vehicle that killed their son has been allowed back on the road in the interim. “It’s not an accident, it’s a tragedy,” father Josh Jankovics said from the family’s farm, which is filled with hundreds of condolence cards the family has received since the loss. “Xavier was my right-hand man.”The family of 12-year-old Xavier Rasul-Jankovics are still grappling with his death after he was struck by an alleged speeding driver in August. (Claire Palmer/CBC)Xavier Rasul-Jankovics was an avid hockey player with dreams of the NHL. He was training for tryouts the night he was killed. (Claire Palmer/CBC)Jankovics and his other son were training with Xavier for hockey tryouts on a quiet, country road when he was killed.This weekend a memorial hockey tournament is being in honour of Rasul-Jankovics. A fundraiser in his name, which will go towards school and sports scholarships, has raised more than $138,000, and roughly 2,000 people attended his memorial.”He loved hockey and his teammates,” said mother Zahra Rasul. “He wanted to be an astronaut, he wanted to go to space or play in the NHL.”The couple are pushing for reforms — which they are calling “Xavier’s Law” — that would introduce immediate driving bans for drivers involved in incidents causing death, suspending their licence pending the completion of a police investigation and/or their court case.They also want lifetime bans for drivers convicted of dangerous driving causing death.”Cars are like weapons,” Rasul said. “Xavier did not have a chance.”LISTEN | Remembering Xavier Rasul-Jankovics and pushing for change:On The Island10:30Mourning family wants changes to B.C.’s dangerous driving lawsThe family of 12-year old Xavier Rasul-Jankovics are pushing for changes to dangerous driving laws after he was killed by an allegedly speeding driver.Meeting with the premierB.C. Premier David Eby has met with the family, his office says, and promised some reforms.Speaking Wednesday, Attorney General Niki Sharma said she’d spoken to the premier afterward and the government is “committed to figuring out what we can do.””Why should a person be entitled to drive again after that?” she said.
B.C. considers tougher penalties for drivers after 12-year-old killed in crash
