How Bad Driving Penalties Affect Your Rate

You may have heard of this recent happening: a driver in

Kitchener, Ont. is facing seven charges in a stunt-driving investigation. Doing

145 km/h in a 90 km/h zone, the driver, in a sedan, is facing charges that

include stunt driving (driving at a rate of over 50 km/h), speeding in a 90 km/h

zone, driving with a blood alcohol concentration level over zero (he was a Class

G2 licence holder), producing false evidence and knowingly having false

insurance.

With his licence suspended for 90 days and his car impounded for seven days,

the court hassles, charges and impact on his record are just the start - there's

the fact that this 20-year-old driver will now face severe repercussions when it

comes to obtaining future auto insurance coverage.

So what's the lesson here? Breaking the law while on the road means more than

just getting fined and having your license revoked - it means immediate

consequences, insurance wise.

Here are illegal driving actions that come with the added repercussion of

automatically affecting your auto insurance rate:

  • driving without a licence
  • driving without insurance
  • driving while impaired (this includes drugs and alcohol)
  • racing or stunt driving
  • failing to remain at the scene of an accident
  • failing to stop for a school bus
  • driving with a suspended licence

To ensure you pay the lowest possible premium, always heed the rules of the

road. Remember that even if a minor action only costs you a small fine and no

immediate change in your current rate, you may still face higher premiums when

changing insurance companies or renewing your policy. Events like this change

your driving profile, which insurance companies use to determine your rate. This

is why you should always shop around for the lowest rate available.

InsuranceHotline.com can help

by allowing you to quickly and easily compare rates from over 30 competing

insurers for free.