Stricter reckless driving law introduced after Vancouver Island child’s death

A memorial for Xavier Rasul-Jankovics, a 12-year-old boy who was killed by a driver on Aug. 25, 2025, is pictured.

A private members’ bill has been introduced in the B.C. legislature that would give police more power to remove reckless drivers from the road.

The amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act is named Xavier’s Law, in honour of a 12-year-old who was killed by a teenage driver while rollerblading with his family on Vancouver Island in August.

At the time, the Shawnigan Lake RCMP said speed “played an important factor” in the crash.

Xavier Rasul-Jankovics’ parents have been advocating for stricter dangerous driving laws since the tragedy.

The bill, if passed, would allow police to issue immediate 30-day driving prohibitions for reckless driving, and require them to report each ban to the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles so repeat offenders can be identified.

The amendment would define reckless driving to include behaviours such as excessive speeding, deliberate loss of control and racing.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe using our roads,” Juan de Fuca—Malahat MLA Dana Lajeunesse, who introduced the bill, said in a news release from the B.C. NDP caucus.

“Xavier’s family have shown tremendous courage and determination. This bill ensures their advocacy leads to positive change and helps prevent other families from experiencing such senseless tragedies.”

Judges can impose driving bans in cases that cause death or serious injury, and the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles can ban high-risk drivers for up to 36 months, so the NDP caucus says Xavier’s Law would add a “front-end safety measure” to prevent tragedies before they occur.

“As a family, we’ve been touched by the community’s care and concerns after our son Xavier was killed by a dangerous driver three months ago,” parents Zahra Rasul and Josh Jankovics are quoted as saying, in the release.

“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.”

The bill passed first reading in the legislature Wednesday and the government says the public and stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide input as it moves forward.

The police investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing.