Careless Driving – Guelph, Ontario

A careless driving charge in Guelph can entail harsh legal consequences, depending on the specifics of your case. At OTD Legal, our team has a strong track record in handling careless driving cases and is committed to providing you with effective legal guidance and robust representation.

What is Careless Driving?

Under Section 130 of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act (HTA), careless driving occurs when an individual drives a vehicle or street car on a highway without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other highway users. This offence covers various driving behaviours that jeopardize the safety of others on the road.

Different Types of Careless Driving Offences

There are three main types of careless driving offences. They include:

• Careless driving ticket: A ticket for careless driving alleges a violation of traffic laws under the specific statute related to careless driving.
• Careless driving summons: When issued a careless driving summons, a person is legally required to appear in court to address accusations of operating a vehicle without proper care and attention or regard for others on the road. This type of summons is generally reserved for graver cases of careless driving or due to road rage, as opposed to less serious incidents that warrant only a ticket.
• Careless driving causing bodily harm or death summons: A summons of this nature is issued when careless driving is suspected to have caused a vehicle collision resulting in bodily harm or death. It constitutes a serious legal accusation. The accused driver must appear in court to answer to the charge

Considering the intricacies of charges related to careless driving, working with a seasoned legal advocate is key for effectively navigating the legal process.

Contact OTD Ticket Defenders to fight a careless driving charge. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Careless Driving Penalties

If you have been charged with careless driving, you could face some or all of the following penalties:

• Court Fine: The starting fine for a careless driving offence is about $490. For a careless driving summons, the total payable fine varies from $490.00 to $2,500.00. In cases where careless driving results in bodily harm or death, this fine escalates to between $2,500.00 and $62,500.00.
• Demerit Points: A careless driving charge carries a penalty of 6 demerit points, whether it was issued as a ticket or by summons.
• Driver’s Licence Suspension: Accumulating too many demerit points for your specific driver’s licence class can lead to a suspension. For those with G1 or G2 licenses, a suspension is triggered by a single conviction of any offence with 4 or more demerit points. If you’re charged by summons, you risk losing your licence for a period of up to 5 years.
• Imprisonment: A conviction by summons for careless driving can lead the court to impose a jail sentence of up to 6 months. If the offence involves an accident that caused bodily harm or death, the potential imprisonment term can increase to a maximum of 2 years.
• CVOR Points: A careless driving conviction will result in a 5 CVOR point penalty.
• Increased Insurance: Careless driving charges can lead to substantial insurance increases or even uninsurability.
• Driving Record – Convictions, demerit points or licence suspensions remain on your record for an extended period of time.

Typically, the severity of penalties for careless driving correlates directly with the seriousness of the offence committed. More serious infractions tend to result in harsher penalties.

Fight Your Careless Driving Ticket in Guelph

If you’re facing a careless driving charge in Guelph, reach out to OTD Legal for assistance. We leverage our vast experience with these demanding cases to devise a customized action plan for you. Our team conducts a comprehensive analysis of every element of your case, starting from the alleged offence to the more intricate aspects of your careless driving charge, all with the objective of getting your careless driving ticket dismissed.