Speeding Tickets And Insurance

Speeding tickets are cited as the most prominent driving violation in the province of Ontario. Often unintentionally, drivers can lose track of their speed while driving on a quiet road or if they’re in a rush to a destination. Although a speeding ticket can be shrugged off as an inconvenience for a mild driving infraction- speed limits are set in place to keep you and others safe on the road. Many of us know what to do when we see the light of a police officer’s blue and red sirens in our rearview; pull over safely, provide proof of license and registration, and remain in the car until told otherwise. However, what happens next is slightly more complicated. How will this ticket impact my insurance? How long will it stay on my record? And what are my options when given a ticket? This article will bring you up to speed on how speeding tickets can affect you.

When does a speeding ticket take effect?

If you are pulled over for speeding, the impact on your insurance is not immediate. Upon receiving the ticket, you will get fined and possibly demerit points. The date the ticket is paid or the day the person was convicted in court is considered the “start date” for the ticket, as the driver has now acknowledged that they accept the infraction. At that time it is added to their driving record by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Any conviction that has appeared on your driving record will remain there for up to three years.

This means that your policy and insurance will be affected for up to three years beginning from the start of the policy effective date and, if you incur any new traffic violations during the lifetime of your policy, at renewal time.

Other factors that impact a speeding ticket?

This should come as no surprise but the main factor contributing to your speeding ticket is (you guessed it) your speed! Here is a general breakdown of the speed and demerit points system in Ontario.

• 3 demerit points: 16-29 km/h over the limit
• 4 demerit points: 30-49 km/h over the limit
• 6 demerit points: 50+ km/h over the limit

In our province, speeding 50 km/h over the posted speed limit may be considered a serious or criminal ticket. This would constitute a significant increase in premiums and may be deemed as racing or criminal negligence. You can accumulate up to 15 demerit points before your license is suspended. It’s important to note that regardless of getting any demerit points or not, speeding tickets will affect your insurance rates.

Although we often associate speeding tickets with fast driving, it is also possible to receive a citation for going under the speed limit. Unnecessarily slow driving can result in a ticket and 2 demerit points. For some, there really is a need for speed!

Location can also impact the severity of a speeding ticket. Careless driving in a construction area, school, or community safety zone, could result in higher fines and up to double the number of demerit points.

Lastly, your driving history is weighted in the overall premiums from your insurance provider. A first-time offender will pay less of a price in comparison to a driver that has multiple tickets within the 3 years.

Due to the range of severity of speeding tickets, Ontario insurance companies won’t treat all speeding equally. It is important to discuss with your Merit broker the next steps upon receiving a speeding ticket.