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Careless Driving
Careless Driving & Insurance
Careless driving in Ontario is typically rated by most auto insurance companies as a Serious/Criminal conviction which likely means you will only qualify for a high risk auto insurance policy once this charge appears on your official driving record.
What is Careless Driving?
According to Section 130 of the Highway Traffic Act, “Every person is guilty of the offense of driving carelessly who drives a vehicle or street car on a highway without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway”. This charge is essentially left up to the Police officer’s discretion and is typically used in situations where a driver is performing an action that shows carelessness towards other drivers on the road and is therefore likely to cause an accident. Careless driving violations are also quite common if you are involved in an accident and it was caused due to carelessness or lack of attention. Further details can be found on the Service Ontario website.
Insurance with a Careless Driving Charge
Once you have been charged with Careless driving, it may not immediately impact your insurance rates depending on your circumstances. For example, it is important to understand that most auto insurance companies in Ontario typically update your driving record on renewal, or on new business applications. In order for a Traffic violation to be rated for by an insurance underwriter, you will have to have been convicted of the careless driving offense, and it will also need to show on your 3-year driver’s license history reports in Ontario (https://www.ontario.ca/page/order-drivers-record). Once this conviction shows on your driving record, likely your only option for auto insurance in Ontario will be through a high risk insurance company.!
How long am I considered “High Risk”?
The careless driving violation would remain on your driving record for 3 years from the conviction date. Once you reach your 3-year anniversary date and depending on your driving record, you should at that point qualify with a standard market. Either way, it is always worth reviewing with your Insurance Broker as they will be able to offer the correct advice, and hopefully find you some affordable options.
If you are interested in an auto insurance quote, call us today at 1-877-454-4476 or visit our quote page today.