Liability of owner for acts of driver
270(1)The owner of a motor vehicle or farm tractor shall be guilty of any violation of this Act or of the regulations, or of any local by-law committed by any person operating or in charge of that vehicle, and involving
(a)
the equipment, mass, size or loading of the vehicle unless he establishes that the offence was committed without his knowledge and consent and by a person over whom he had no authority or control;
(b)
the operation of the vehicle, including the prohibited use of any equipment thereon, unless he established that the vehicle was being operated by a person who
(i)
had possession of the vehicle without the owner’s consent, express or implied,
(ii)
is charged with and convicted of such violation, or
(iii)
admits that he was the driver of the vehicle at the time of the alleged offence, and claims no privilege in respect to such admission.
270(2)An owner charged with a violation by virtue of subsection (1) may be charged as the principal offender, but the information shall show that the charge is laid by virtue of section 270.
1961-62, c.62, s.97; 1973, c.59, s.1; 1977, c.M-11.1, s.17; 1979, c.43, s.9; 1998, c.30, s.22