Overspeeding vs.Car Insurance rates

When you’re handed a speeding ticket by a police
officer, your eye may go directly to the cost of the fine.
But in fact, the fine is just one part of the costs to you
of speeding. Beyond the dangers and the demerit
points, there’s also the cost to your auto insurance
rates to consider.
Do speeding tickets affect your car insurance rates?
if your ticket is for 15 to 30 kilometres over the speed
limit, likely one ticket won’t count against you if your
record is otherwise clean
if you have more than one ticket though, or if you
were stunt racing, which is defined as driving more
than 50 kilometres over the limit, you could start
paying higher premiums
your insurer may classify you as a high-risk driver, or
could even refuse to continue insuring you
What about demerit points for speeding?
the number of demerit points is based on how many
kilometres you were over the speed limit:
- 16 to 29 kilometers over = 3 points
- 30 to 49 kilometres over = 4 points
- 50 kilometres over or more = 6 points
even if you didn't receive demerit points for speeding,
it can affect your auto insurance rates as companies
count on convictions, not points
Street racing, stunt driving and speeding
there are some hefty driving penalties for being 50
kilometres per hour over the limit:
- your licence will immediately be
suspended for 7 days, and your vehicle impounded for
7 days
- if you’re convicted, you’ll face a $2,000 to
$10,000 fine, 6 demerit points, up to 6 months in
prison and up to a 2-year licence suspension for a first
offence
- for a second offence within 10 years of
the first, add in a driver’s licence suspension of up to
10 years
Driving Speed Safety
while the speed limit may be anywhere from 40 to 100
kilometres per hour, remember that this is a maximum
speed limit
there are many situations where you should not be
driving as fast as the speed limit permits:
- when passing emergency vehicles stopped on the
shoulder or in another lane
- in bad weather
- when in a construction zone
fines may be higher for not reducing your speed
around emergency or construction workers and their
vehicles, as well as in community or school safety
zones
- what’s a community safety zone?
- a stretch of road where public safety is of
particular concern – around schools, playgrounds, etc.
- fines may even be doubled in these zones