Introduction

• When charged with careless driving, one common question is about the number of demerit points associated with the offense.
• It’s important to remember that demerit points are just one aspect to consider when dealing with a careless driving charge.

Understanding Demerit Points

• Demerit points are a significant concern for individuals facing a careless driving charge in Ontario.
• Careless driving is considered one of the most serious offenses on a driving abstract.

The Number of Demerit Points

• The answer is quite straightforward: careless driving carries six demerit points.
• Six demerit points are among the highest numbers possible under the Highway Traffic Act, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense.

Impact on Insurance

• Careless driving convictions can have a long-lasting impact on your insurance.
• Insurance companies view careless driving similarly to dangerous driving or impaired driving under the criminal code.
• This categorization leads to higher insurance premiums, often as much as five times your current rate.

Insurance Costs

• While policies vary, you can expect a substantial increase in insurance costs.
• If you used to pay $1,000 for liability insurance, it might now rise to at least $6,000 annually.
• Some clients have reported paying as much as $12,000 per year, underscoring the significance of this offense.

Why You Need Professional Help

• OTD Legal has a proven track record in defending individuals facing careless driving charges.
• It’s advised not to represent yourself but seek competent professionals to navigate this serious matter.
• Explore our website for a free consultation, where we can provide guidance and assistance tailored to your case.

Additional Resources

• To learn more about demerit points and penalties, you can visit the official Ontario Ministry of Transportation website.
• For comprehensive information on Ontario traffic laws, refer to the Highway Traffic Act on the official Ontario government website.

Conclusion

• Careless driving carries a substantial penalty in terms of demerit points and insurance costs.
• Seeking professional legal counsel, like OTD Legal, can make a significant difference in your case’s outcome.

Video Transcription:

This is a question that is very commonly asked when someone is charged with careless driving. I think it’s important to note that demerit points are only a small part of what needs to be considered . For an individual like myself or anyone on my staff, their minds are going to be racing if anyone is approaching them or calling them with a careless driving charge, and certainly one of the questions to be answered for that client is how many demerit points?

The answer is a simple one, which is six. However, it is actually much more complicated than that. Careless driving in Ontario is rated among the one of the worst offenses that could go on to a driving abstract. When I say that it does in fact carry a significant number of points.

Six is a large number. Six is one of the largest numbers that you can ever accumulate under the Highway Traffic Act. Obviously on that note alone, we know that that’s serious. The impact of careless driving for a person going forward once there’s a conviction, once there’s a conviction, is that at some point in time they’re going to have to renegotiate their insurance, and renegotiation will be a difficult challenge for that person.

That being said. What the insurance company is going to look at is they look at careless driving in the same way they would look at dangerous driving under the criminal code or impaired driving. So the best way to think about that is it’s grouped in the same group of offenses with criminal offenses, and it’s considered serious and they’re going to charge you the most.

I can only guess every policy is different, but on average, you’re looking about five times whatever you paid per year now. If you are lucky enough to at once upon a time spend a thousand dollars to have liability insurance on your vehicle, you’ll now be looking at a policy of at least $6,000. It’s not unheard of to have a client tell me that they’re paying $12,000 a year now to stay on the road and, and therein lies the significance of this particular offense.

The good news is that at OTD Legal, we have a flawless record in defending people on this type of thing. It is relatively rare that we have a client go through our representation, and end up with the same thing. I would encourage you if you had something like this, not to represent yourself. Seek counsel, competent counsel that can help you with something so significant.

Please take a look at our website. You’ll note we have a free consultation. There’s no obligation. We’d like to talk to you. We probably can help you.