How much does a careless driving charge affect auto insurance in Ontario?

With files from Tyler Wade

This article was originally published on December 3, 2020 and was updated on September 5, 2025.

Careless driving is a serious offence in Ontario. It is considered a major traffic violation in the province and is prosecuted under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA). It’s also one of the more ambiguous charges under Ontario’s traffic laws. 

According to the HTA, “Every person is guilty of the offence of driving carelessly who drives a vehicle or street car on a highway or in a specified place without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway or specified place”. In other words, because the definition of careless driving is broad, the ticket-issuing officer has considerable leeway when it comes to determining your charge. 

Regardless, the penalties for a careless driving conviction are steep, and include hefty fines, potential license suspension and jail time, and a significant increase in your auto insurance premiums. 

In fact, auto insurance carriers in Ontario treat careless driving as seriously as a criminal conviction. This means the repercussions on your insurance premiums rival those of being convicted of impaired driving. 

Let’s break down just how much careless driving can affect your auto insurance rate. 

What is careless driving in Ontario?

Careless driving essentially means you weren’t careful enough on the road, which can lead to the endangerment of others. Here are examples of actions that could lead to you being charged with careless driving: 

• Using your cell phone
• Tailgating another vehicle 
• Failing to yield to pedestrians
• Eating or drinking while driving 
• Getting into a motor vehicle accident
• Passing another vehicle aggressively
• Overtaking and forcing your way into a line of vehicles waiting to turn or exit

Some examples on this list are typically charged as lesser driving offences with the potential to escalate to careless driving, depending on whether the driver caused a collision or posed danger to others. For example, using your cell phone is typically charged as distracted driving. However, if you endanger anyone, you could be charged with careless driving. It is at the officer's discretion. 

Similarly, a careless driving charge causing bodily harm can be escalated to a dangerous driving charge, which is a criminal driving offence in Canada.

Also read: What are the three types of traffic tickets in Ontario?

What are the penalties for careless driving in Ontario?

The penalties will vary depending on whether your actions caused bodily harm or death to another person. The table below outlines the penalties you could face (in any license class), including fines, demerit points, license suspensions, and potential imprisonment. 

Keep in mind that some of these numbers are worst-case scenarios, and it's not common for courts to apply license suspensions and jail time. As a novice driver, however, your license will be suspended for 30 days upon conviction because you’ll be over the limit of four demerit points. 

For more information, visit the Ontario government website. 

 

How will a careless driving conviction affect auto insurance?

Ontario drivers convicted of careless driving can expect their auto insurance premiums to jump significantly. However, the actual increase depends on your location, car model, age, license class and insurance provider, among other factors. 

As mentioned above, insurance companies in Ontario treat careless driving convictions as seriously as criminal offences, such as impaired driving, even though they fall under the HTA. 

According to Ratehub data, you can expect to experience a rate increase of up to 150% or more following a careless driving conviction. If your careless driving offence came with a licence suspension, you should expect to see an even higher rate increase. Unlike convictions, which impact your driving record for 3 years, suspensions will stay on your record for 6 years.

Why such a substantial rate increase? Criminal convictions (and major convictions) push drivers into the non-standard insurance market, meaning they may no longer qualify for coverage under certain providers. Instead, they’re considered high-risk and must find coverage from high-risk insurance companies, which is more costly and often more difficult to secure.

Also read: What is the total cost of getting a traffic ticket in Ontario?

Sample scenarios

The tables below illustrate how a conviction for careless driving can affect auto insurance premiums. We compared the quotes of two driver profiles, each with a clean driving record, against the same drivers convicted of careless driving. We calculated the total costs and percentage increases they’ll pay over three years. 

Remember, insurance companies review driving records dating back three years to determine rates, so any convictions will impact premiums for the entire three-year period. In the case of license suspensions, it will remain on your driving record for up to six years. 

The data reveals that a single careless driving conviction has a substantial impact on insurance premiums, resulting in a sharp increase of well over 150%. Driver A experienced a 348% increase in their rates, resulting in an additional $13,000 in insurance costs over three years. In contrast, Driver B experienced a 227% rise in insurance and will pay over $18,000 more in additional fees. 

When two careless driving convictions were applied, both Driver A & B saw drastic increases in their premiums, with Driver A experiencing more than a 500% increase. When three careless driving convictions were applied, both drivers were pushed into the facility market, where they will need to work with a broker who specializes in high-risk insurance to find coverage. 

Every driver is different. The tables below highlight how differing drivers can see varying results in their premiums based on factors such as age, city of residence and vehicle model.

^{Note: The data is based on a G-licensed driver over the age of 25. They do not account for inflation increases or rate changes due to license suspension. Actual costs will depend on your age, driving history, insurer and vehicle.}

Driver A

Driver B

How to lower your auto insurance after a careless driving charge

If you are in the position where you’ve insurance premiums have spiked after a careless driving conviction, you can follow the steps below to help ease the increase and save on your auto insurance: 

1. Shop the market:

Comparing auto insurance quotes is one of the best ways to find a lower rate. If you are a high-risk driver, you could also work with a broker who specializes in high-risk insurance to help find affordable coverage options. 

2. Consider usage-based insurance: 

Opting to use telematics to track your driving behaviour is one way to get a discount on your rates. However, it can work against you if you do not drive up to your insurer’s standards. 

3. Limit your driving: 

Driving less reduces the chances of you getting into an accident or committing another driving offence, which can help reduce your premiums. Maintaining a clean driving record will also help you secure a lower insurance rate.

4. Adjust your coverage and deductibles:

Consider removing unnecessary coverage from your policy, such as collision insurance for an older car, to lower your rates. You can also opt for a higher deductible. Be aware that there are risks associated with both options, so be sure to do your research before making changes to your policy.

5. Bundle your auto & home policies:

By bundling insurance products with the same insurance company, you can access a discount on your rate. The most common bundle scenario is insuring both your auto and property with the same insurer.

The bottom line

Careless driving is a serious offence in Ontario that will result in a substantial increase in your insurance premiums. The fine for the ticket is a small cost compared to the additional insurance fees you’ll pay over the three-year period that it remains on your driving record. To avoid the spike in fees, drive carefully on the roads. If you are experiencing a hike in premiums, you can shop the market and compare quotes online to find a provider that offers you a lower rate. 

Also read

• What is the total cost of getting a traffic ticket in Ontario?
• How do speeding tickets impact auto insurance in Ontario?
• What are the 3 types of traffic tickets in Ontario?
• Can you get affordable car insurance after a DUI in Canada?
• Driving high: What it means to your insurance
• Canada’s impaired driving laws