Those who are going to drive in Ontario have a lot to learn about the various rules and regulations that they must abide by. One of the many is understanding how demerit points work, and how to avoid accumulating them.
What Are Demerit Points?
This is a system that is used in Ontario to help track the driving infractions of the drivers in Ontario. When certain driving laws are broken the driver is given a specified number of demerit points. These accumulate over a period of time. As they do there can be specific consequences as a result of this. One of which can be having an effect on a driver’s insurance.
How Does the Demerit Point System Work?
Often individuals think they lose demerit points for driving infractions. But, it is the opposite AS they accumulate them. The number of demerit points accumulated will determine the outcome for the driver.
- It can affect their driver’s licence.
- It can affect their insurance.
Do The Insurance Companies Care About Demerit Points?
There is a lot of confusion over demerit points. Some drivers believe that the accumulation of demerit points only affect your licence. That they do not affect your insurance. Some believe that the demerit points only affect you if you are convicted. What has to be realized is that driving infraction tickets do show on your driving history. Insurance companies do check the driving history. In all likelness, they are going to take the ticket history including the demerit points into account.
Do Demerit Points Go Away Ontario?
Demerit points are removed from the driver’s record, but not before two years has passed. This can be a long time when it has had an effect on your insurance rates.
Can You Get Demerit Points When Riding Your Bike?
If you happen to hold a driver’s licence and also ride a bike then beware. You could earn demerit points for driving infractions as a result of your bike riding.
In a recent article published by Global news such incidents do occur. There seems to be some confusion in regards to the demerit points in the bike riding incidents. Court services indicated that there would not be any demerit points for the ticket infractions. according to Const. Clint Stibble he was quoted in the article as saying “The conviction can appear on your driving record, but should not carry any demerit points” source: globalnews.ca
Yet, another individual mentioned in the same news articles indicated that he does have demerit points against him for receiving a ticket as well on the same night as the other individual.
The bottom line here is the concern as to how these points could affect the insurance rating for this individual.
Do Demerit Points Reset?
Every time demerit points are issued they remain on the driver’s record for a period of two years.
Are Demerit Points Written on the Ticket?
Police officers are the authority who issues the driving infraction tickets. They do not have the authority to determine how many demerit points are affiliated with this. Therefore the demerit points will not be written on the ticket.
Demerit Point Examples
The following chart is an example of how driving infractions can be categorized and how demerit points can be awarded. It is not an all exhaustive list of either. But it meant to enlighten readers as to the common types of infractions and demerit point accumulations.
| MINOR INFRACTIONS | DEMERIT POINTS | MINOR INFRACTIONS | DEMERIT POINTS | MINOR INFRACTIONS | DEMERIT POINTS | ||
| Wrong way on one way | 3 demerit points | Obstructing the view of other drivers | Failure to produce evidence of insurance | ||||
| Use of radar warning device | Obstruction of Licence Plate | Failure to surrender licence to authorities | |||||
| Unsafe vehicle | Improper use of divided highway | 3 demerit points | Failure to yield to another vehicle or predestrian | 3 demerit points | |||
| Unsafe or prohibited turn | 2 demerit points | Improper towing | Failure to use seatbelts | 2 demerit points | |||
| Unsafe Move | Improper railway crossing | 3 demerit points | Failure to signal | 2 demerit points | |||
| Uncessary slow driving | 2 demerit points | Improper passing lance change or turn | 2 demerit points | Failure to share the road | |||
| Unecessary Noise | Improper opening of door | Driving with an outdated inspection sticker | |||||
| Stop sign or traffic infraction | 3 demerit points | Improper driving in bus lane | Driving with open alcohol in vehicle | ||||
| Speeding | 4 demerit points 30 to 49 mph 3 demerit points 16 to 29mph | Headlight offences | Driving with an insecure load | ||||
| Seatbelt Infraction | Following too closely | 4 demerit points | Driver’s licence violations | ||||
| Overloading | Failure to carry an insurance card | Defective Brakes | |||||
| Obstructing traffic | Crowding -not enough seat belts | 3 demerit points | |||||
| MAJOR INFRACTIONS | DEMERIT POINTS | CRIMINAL INFRACTIONS | DEMERIT POINTS | ||||
| Non alcohol violation of licence conditions | Alcohol related violation of lic. | ||||||
| Speeding in a construction zone | Stunting or drag racing | ||||||
| Producing false evidence of lic. or ins. | Refusing breathalyzer test | ||||||
| Failure to stop/slow/pass for emergency veh. | 3 demerit points | Speeding 50km over posted speed limit | 6 demit points | ||||
| Failure to report damage to hwy. prop. | Racing | 6 demerit points | |||||
| Failure to report an accident | 3 demerit points | Operating motor veh w/o ins. | |||||
| Failure to follow restrictions in school zone | 6 demerit points for fail.to stop for school bus | Motor manslaugher | |||||
| Improper passing zone | 3 demerit points | Failure to remain at accident scene | 7 demerit points | ||||
| False statement of Ins. | Failure to obey police/directions | 7 demerit points/3 demerit points | |||||
| Distracted driving | 3 demerit points | Driving under suspension | |||||
| All insurance offences | Driving impaired | ||||||
| Criminal neg. | |||||||
| Careless or dangerous driving | 6 demerit points | ||||||
How Much Are These Demerit Points Going to Increase Your Insurance?
Every insurance company is different. They are each going to have their own standards. Some estimates show that insurance rates can increase from anywhere from 3% for a seatbelt infraction up to 22% for reckless driving.
Keep in mind although there are several different types of tickets the insurance companies are most concerned about the moving violations.
Every driver has to be committed to keeping their driving record clean. If they want to be able to keep their insurance costs down.
