Receiving a Careless Driving Ticket in Ontario Canada, Now What?

According to the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario careless driving is one of the most serious offenses someone can obtain a traffic ticket for. Serious insurance implications, six demerit points and a fine for careless driving is what someone will receive if they are not careful. A court prosecutor may also request from the Justice of Peace that penalties including jail time and license suspension be included.

Careless driving is defined as every driver is guilty of the crime of careless driving who drives an automobile without “due care for attention” to where they are going or without practical deliberation for other parties using the roadways; upon conviction this person is liable to a fine of not less than $200 but not more than $1000 or could be imprisoned for up to six months or fine both in addition to their license being suspended for a period not to exceed two years.

An offense for careless driving will have a dramatic impact on one's financial situation because their insurance rates will increase and at some point the insurance company may drop a driver altogether from the insurance policy depending on situation and if their license had been suspended or not.

Most careless driving tickets come with six demerit points, a fine of up to $325, a conviction registered on one's record for a maximum of three years and major insurance convictions such as being placed in a higher risk bracket in which your premiums will increase or being dropped from your insurance company altogether and having hard time finding suitable car insurance coverage.

If the careless driving ticket is more serious, such as a car accident or someone is seriously injured, and then the find can be up to a maximum of $1000, a prison term for up to six months, a drivers license suspension of up to two years in addition to having the permit for the vehicle suspended for up to two years.

Since a careless driving ticket is a serious offense it is best to seek legal representation to avoid having to pay hefty fines, participate in jail time or have one's auto insurance increased or denied.

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