If you’re convicted of stunt driving you face severe consequences that can have a lasting impact on your life, such as:
- Fine: The fine for stunt driving is $2,000 to $10,000. These fines are among the steepest under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
- Jail Time: For serious cases, particularly where the offence is deemed especially dangerous or if it’s a repeat occurrence, the court can impose a jail term of up to six months.
- Impact on Insurance: Drivers convicted of stunt driving will see their insurance rates rise dramatically. Stunt driving is considered a major offence by insurance companies. Many insurers will label you as a high-risk driver, leading to much higher rates, and in some cases, they may refuse to insure you altogether, making it difficult obtain insurance.
- Licence Suspensions: A first conviction leads to a suspension of your driver’s license for 1 to 3 years.
- A second conviction can result in a suspension of 3 to 10 years.
- For a third or subsequent offence, the licence suspension can become indefinite, making it nearly impossible to regain your driving privileges.
- Demerit Points: A stunt driving conviction adds 6 demerit points to your driving record, which can stay on your record for two years from the date of the offence. Accumulating demerit points can trigger further actions from the Ministry of Transportation, such as a mandatory interview or even additional licence restrictions.
The Additional Impact on Novice Drivers
Novice drivers convicted of stunt driving face additional suspensions. The 6 demerit points from a stunt driving conviction will push novice drivers, (class G1 and class G2 drivers) over their demerit point threshold, leading to an automatic secondary licence suspension.
Novice drivers must not exceed 4 demerit points. Novice drivers must to everything possible to have the charge dropped or even reducing the charge to avoid the license suspensions and insurance implications.