British ColumbiaJuan de Fuca-Malahat MLA Dana Lajeunesse has proposed swifter and harsher penalties for reckless drivers after the death of a 12-year-old on Vancouver Island prompted his family to push for reforms.The private member’s bill comes after 12-year-old was killed in a collision on Vancouver IslandAndrew Kurjata · CBC News · Posted: Nov 26, 2025 8:38 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.12-year-old Xavier Rasul-Jankovics was killed in a collision while training for hockey tryouts on the rural road outside his family farm, with the driver suspected of speeding in the case. 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)A B.C. NDP MLA has introduced a private member’s bill calling for swifter and harsher punishment of reckless drivers in the province.”Xavier’s Law,” as the bill is known, is named for 12-year-old Xavier Rasul-Jankovics who was struck and killed while rollerblading outside his home along a rural road in the Cowichan Valley on Aug. 25. RCMP say speed “played an important factor” in the collision, in which a 17-year-old driver lost control of their vehicle.Rasul-Jankovics’s parents have been frustrated at the length of the investigation, and expressed concern that they don’t even know if the driver has been allowed back on the road. Juan de Fuca-Malahat NDP MLA Dana Lajeunesse says he’s met with the family several times and is now introducing amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act which he says would help keep roads safer.They include giving police the power to suspend drivers suspected of reckless driving for up to 30 days.It also includes a requirement to report any instance of reckless driving to the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles — in order to track those with multiple citations and impose harsher punishments as needed. Reckless driving is defined to include extreme speeding, “deliberate loss of control,” and racing.A roadside memorial for Xavier Rasul-Jankovics, a 12-year-old killed by a driver who was allegedly speeding on Vancouver Island. (Claire Palmer/CBC)”It seemed to me, to be a very important bill to protect the safety of children and families and just people in our province,” Lajeunesse said. “Reckless driving has no place on our roads.”Rasul-Jankovics’s parents expressed support for the bill in a statement released by the B.C. NDP.”With this important step of this bill being brought forward, we know our concerns have been heard and these laws will help ensure our tragedy is never repeated,” the statement from the family said.”Nothing will bring Xavier back, but we hope this step will protect other families from experiencing the heartbreak of losing a beloved and innocent child.” LISTEN | Family pleads for changes to B.C.’s dangerous driving laws: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.The bill passed first reading and Lajeunesse said he expects it to come back for a second reading on Monday, with the family present in the Legislature, before going to committee for debate and eventually making its way back to the Legislature in the spring.Lajeunesse says members of the public will be able to help shape the bill as it moves forward.With files from Katie DeRosa
B.C. NDP MLA proposes law that lets police revoke licences for reckless driving
