What Are The Potential Fines And Charges For A Hit-And-Run In Ontario?
Hit and run is a very serious offence in Ontario. The Highway Traffic Act has provisions that specify these offences differently, and as such, it is considered a series of offences. It is on this basis that a driver who commits this offence may be charged with some of the following:
Section 199 (1): Failing to Report an Accident
Failure to Remain in an Accident is by no means a “minor” charge. However, it is viewed as less severe than Failing to Remain itself. If charged under this section, there are two potential outcomes:
- Ticket: You may receive a ticket with a fine of $110 as an out-of-court settlement. With this fine are three demerit points added to your driving record.
- Summons to Court: Depending on the incident’s severity, the officer may opt to bring the case before a court through a summons. Here, the court has the discretion to impose fines up to $1,000.
Section 201: Failing to Remain at an Accident
Failure to remain at the scene of an accident is one of the most serious of charges under the Highway Traffic Act and is always dealt with by way of summons. Penalties associated with this charge include:
- Mandatory Court Appearance: A summons requires the accused to appear before a judge or justice of the peace.
- Heavier Fines: If convicted, fines can reach up to $2,000.
Key Takeaways
- Severity of Offences: Both charges address the failure to properly respond after an accident, with failing to remain being more serious.
- Potential Penalties: Fines range from $110 to $2,000, with the possibility of demerit points affecting your driving record.
- Legal Implications: A summons to court underlines the need for legal representation, as these charges can have significant legal and financial repercussions.
The consequences of a hit and run in Ontario outline the real importance of knowing what your obligations and potential penalties could be. Obviously, being under investigation and charged in a case like this would have massive effects on your life—your freedom of movement, and your financial situation. If you ever find yourself in this kind of situation, you will need to seek legal advice to correctly go through the intricacies of the law and maybe reduce the consequences.
Video Transcription:
What are the potential fines and charges for a hit-and-run in Ontario? There are two pieces of legislation in the Highway Traffic Act that are used to enforce that type of behaviour. One is under section 199. 1, called failing to report an accident, and the other is under section 201 of the Highway Traffic Act, calling it failing to remain at an accident.
Under section 199. 1, The, those charges are indeed less than a failing to remain, but they are certainly not a minor charge if you’re facing one. If you are charged with that, you’ll see one of two things. You might see a ticket with a fine on it of 110, which is an out-of-court settlement and with that, it will come with three demerit points. So that’s a ticket. The other way you would see a charge like that is. If the officer decided based on the severity of what happened, they may decide that they would like to summons you and bring you before a court. If that happens, the court has the ability to select within a range of fines up to $1, 000.
The second way that a hit and run would be dealt with in Ontario is by using the section 201, which is failing to remain. Failing to remain is considered, has been argued, to be one of the most serious charges under the Highway Traffic Act for a variety of reasons. It’s only issued by summons. And when it’s only issued by summons, we know one thing; that the officer who had done the investigation considers this to be significant. considers it to be serious and wants this before a judge or justice of the peace for the court to determine the amount of fine. The court will look at the situation and find out how aggravating it might be and the fine if convicted is up to $2, 000.
