Traffic Offences Catalogue
No Insurance
No Insurance Did you know if you are caught driving without insurance in Ontario, you will be fined or face other penalties? Here is what you need to know about the fines for driving a vehicle without valid car insurance in the province. Section 3 of the CAIA outlines the penalty : (3) Every owner or lessee of a motor vehicle who, contravenes subsection (1) of this section or subsection 13 (11); orsurrenders an insurance card for inspection to a police officer, when requested to do so, purporting to show that the motor vehicle is insured under a contract of automobile coverage when the...
Driving While Disqualified
Driving While Disqualified Criminal Code of Canada Section 259 Driving while disqualified and prohibited from driving is a criminal charge that can result in a jail sentence or substantial fine. Where the licence suspension is from a criminal driving conviction. Everyone who operates a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft or any railway equipment in Canada while disqualified from doing so, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction. “Motor vehicle” means a vehicle that is drawn,...
CVOR Tickets
CVOR Tickets Commercial vehicle operators in Ontario must have a valid Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration (CVOR) certificate and carry a copy. The CVOR system monitors commercial carrier safety to improve road safety for all road users. Operators that need a CVOR certificate Carriers that operate certain types of vehicles require a CVOR certificate, including commercial motor vehicles that are plated in Ontario, the U.S. or Mexico. These vehicles include: trucks with a gross weight or registered gross weight over 4,500 kg buses with a seating...
Following Too Closely
Following Too Closely Sec 158(1) Section 158(1) of the Highway Traffic Act, RSO 1990, c H.8 states: “If you follow a vehicle more closely than is reasonable without having due regard for the speed of the vehicle, the traffic on the roadway and the conditions of the highway” you may be charged under this offence. Penalty: Minimum Fine: $85.00 Maximum Fine: $500.00 Demerit Points: 4 A “major” conviction on your record Follow Too Closely for Commercial Drivers This is one of the only offences in the Highway Traffic Act that has a different set of rules...
Failure To Yield To A Pedestrian
Failure To Yield to A Pedestrian Sec 144(7) Drivers including cyclists must stop and yield the entire width of the roadway (wait for pedestrians to clear the road) at: pedestrian crossovers school crossings locations where there is a crossing guard Only when pedestrians and school crossing guards have crossed and are safely on the sidewalk can drivers and cyclists proceed. Pedestrian crossovers A pedestrian crossover is a crossing that has: specific signs pavement markings lights Some have: illuminated overhead lights warning signs pedestrian push buttons Here are examples of pedestrian...
Failure To Yield
Failure To Yield Sec 136 (1)(b) Fail to Yield to Traffic on Through Highway When entering an intersection or roadway the driver must yield the way to traffic lawfully using the roadway. Definition of Fail to Yield Under the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario there are two instances where the driver is required to yield to traffic: Highway Traffic Act s. 136.1,b – at a stop sign after stopping Highway Traffic Act s. 139.1 – when entering a roadway from another road A driver is required to yield to traffic lawfully in the intersection as to avoid an unintentional...
Failing To Stop For A School Bus
Failing To Stop for A School Bus Sec 175(11) Meeting with a school bus on a highway is regulated by section 175(11). According to it when meeting a stopped school bus with flashing lights on, every driver or street car should stop before reaching it and proceed only after the school bus moves or turns off the signal. Approaching the school bus falls under section 175(12). It states that approaching a stopped school bus with flashing red lights, a driver or street car operator should stop at least 20 meters away and keep moving only when the school bus started its movement or turned...
Fail To Report
Fail To Report Sec 199(1) Section 199(1) of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act creates a Fail to Report ticket, and the act stipulates the duty of any driver involved in an accident directly or indirectly has a duty to report the particulars of the accident to a peace officer forthwith. With the above said, it is important to understand you have a duty to report an accident is triggered as the act and regulation also stipulates that the apparent property damage sustained must exceed $2,000. If the property damage is minor and under the $2,000 threshold, you have 24 hours to report the...
Failing To Remain
Failing To Remain Sec 200(1) What is a Failure to Remain Ticket? Section 200(1)(a) of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act creates the offence for Fail to Remain, and expresses that any driver involved in an accident must remain at, or return immediately to, the scene of the accident or collision. Court-imposed penalties for a Fail to Remain ticket are as follows: a monetary fine between $400 to $2,000, plus victim fine surcharge and court costs; a custodial jail sentence not exceeding 6 months, or both fine and custody; and. an Ontario Driver's Licence Suspension not exceeding 2 years.
Drive No Licence
Drive No Licence Sec 32(1) The Ontario Highway Traffic Act specifies “driving without a proper licence as an offence with a fine of at least $200 and up to $1,000. Novice drivers will have their licence suspended if they breach any of the Graduated drivers licence program requirements.”
Failing To Stop For Police
Failing To Stop For Police Sec 216(2) A police officer, in the lawful execution of their duties and responsibilities, may require the driver of a motor vehicle to stop. The driver of a motor vehicle, when signaled or requested to stop by a police officer who is readily identifiable as such, shall immediately come to a safe stop. Anybody who fails to stop can be convicted of the offence and be subject to a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000, to imprisonment for a term of not more than 6 months, or to both a fine and imprisonment. If you are convicted of willfully avoiding...
Driving Under Suspension
Driving Under Suspension Sec 53(1) To promote safe driving for Ontarians, the province has some of the strictest driving laws regarding driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, careless driving, “stunt” driving, fleeing police or a collision scene, and so on. In addition to lengthy suspensions for driving offences, court sanctions can quickly escalate and include fines in the tens of thousands of dollars, reinstatement fees, licence restrictions, lifetime bans and even jail time. Suspensions Your licence may also be suspended for the following reasons: Escalating sanctions Zero...
Seatbelt Violations
Seatbelt Violations-Sec 106 All motor vehicle drivers and passengers in Ontario must wear a seatbelt that is properly adjusted and securely fastened. Drivers As a driver, you are responsible for wearing your seatbelt and making sure: every person in your vehicle has their own working seatbelt passengers under the age of 16 wear their seatbelts properly in your vehicle children are secured in an appropriate child car seat or booster seat Passengers As a passenger, you must wear your seatbelt including when travelling in a taxi or rideshare vehicle. Fines and penalties If convicted, you will...
Hand-Held Communication Device
Hand-Held Communication Device Sec 78.1 What counts as distracted driving Ontario’s distracted driving laws apply to the use of hand-held communication/entertainment devices and certain display screens. While you are driving, including when you are stopped in traffic or at a red light, it is illegal to: use a phone or other hand-held wireless communication device to text or dial – you can only touch a device to call 911 in an emergency use a hand-held electronic entertainment device, such as a tablet or portable gaming console view display screens unrelated to driving, such as watching a...
Disobey Sign
Disobey Sign Sec 182 This section of the act, 182 (2), is appearing frequently of late as a bona fide charge to traffic offences relating to official road signage. Section 182 gives provincial and municipal governments the authority to place signs and markings on a highway to facilitate the flow of traffic and to ensure the safe passage of vehicles and pedestrians provided the signs are prescribed in the regulations of the Highway Traffic Act. Subsection 2 goes on to state that every driver or operator of a vehicle (including bicycles) or streetcar shall obey the instructions or directions...
Driving Under Suspension – 2
DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION Sec 53(1) Driving without a license is a serious offence. Any violation of a G1 or G2 driver’s license could result in a suspension in Ontario. Drivers can have their license suspended after accumulating just six demerit points. It is a mandatory license suspension after nine points! Here are some other reasons you could have your license taken away: Speeding more than 50km an hour An accumulation of demerit points. Driving with a suspended license As a result of a judge’s court order A conviction for a criminal driving...
Speeding
SPEEDING Sec 128 Excessive speed If you are convicted of speeding, you may receive demerit points in addition to fines. 3 points for going over the speed limit by 16 to 29 kilometres per hour 4 points for going over the speed limit by 30 to 49 kilometres per hour 6 points for going over the speed limit by 50 kilometres per hour or more The fine will depend on how fast you were travelling over the posted speed limit: Fines for driving over the speed limit (as of June 2020) How much over the speed limit Fine per kilometres per hour over the speed limit less than 20 kilometres per hour $3.00 20...
Stunt Driving and Street Racing
Stunt Driving Sec 172(1) Stunt driving and street racing Stunt driving and street racing are dangerous and illegal. Stunt driving includes: driving 40 kilometres per hour or more over the speed limit on roads with a speed limit less than 80 kilometres per hour driving 50 kilometres per hour or more over the speed limit driving in a way that prevents other vehicles from passing intentionally cutting off another vehicle intentionally driving too close to another vehicle, pedestrian or fixed object spinning of your tires that results in losing traction or a burn out or the lifting of a...
Careless Driving
Careless Driving Sec 130 Careless driving falls below the minimum standard expected of a careful driver and it includes driving without reasonable consideration for other road users. Dangerous driving includes behaviour that could potentially endanger yourself or other drivers. A conviction for careless driving involves serious penalties: 6 demerit points, a fine between $400 and $2,000, possible jail time (up to 6 months), and licence suspension for up to 2 years. It is one of the “most popular” traffic violations in Ontario.