Demerit Point System

 The demerit point system is a way to cause drivers to be constantly aware of the privileges they have as drivers on Ontario roads, and the responsibilities imposed on them to keep themselves and other road users safe by their actions while on the wheel on shared roads. On each offense, one gets the corresponding demerit point accumulation and when reached the level set, depending on the type of license, the privilege of driving may be revoked or suspended.

The Demerit Points and Penalties

New Drivers: G1 and G2 Drivers

Once a novice driver receives TWO or more Points, a warning letter is sent. As soon as a new driver accumulates  six demerit points, the license holder is likely to be called for an interview at the Ministry of Transportation where the driver is made to provide evidence as to why the license must not be suspended. Failure to attend the interview is a recipe for license suspension. If a level 1 and two driver accumulates nine (9) demerit points within a two-year period, the driver is called to surrender the license to the Ministry of Transportation. At this time, the license is suspended for 60 days. But it must be noted that failure to surrender the license to the Ministry can lead to a two-year suspension of the license. The demerit points accumulated before the suspension is then reduced to four after the suspension time elapses.

Fully Licensed Drivers – Demerit points System for A, B, C, D, E, F and G Drivers

Once a fully licensed driver, it takes just six points to receive a warning letter from the Ministry, informing the license holder to improve driving skills. Nine demerit points will attract a call for an interview at the Ministry of Transportation where the driver will be asked to demonstrate why the license does not deserve to be suspended or be asked to complete a driver re-examination, failure of this test can lead to the cancellation of the license irrespective of the experience or the number of years you have had the license. Failure to attend the interview or reasons why the license should not be suspended can also lead to suspension of the license.

But to have the license automatically suspended for 30 days, a driver must have accumulated 15 demerit points . The driver may also be asked to surrender the license to the Ministry of Transportation, failure to which will lead to a two-year suspension of the license. The total number of the accumulated 15 demerit points reduces to only four once the suspension is over. However, if the same driver accumulates demerits points to the level of the 15 points benchmark after the first accumulation that lead to the suspension, this time, the driver’s license will be suspended for six months. 

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The Demerit Points and Their Corresponding Offenses

Seven points
  • Failing to remain at the scene of a collision
  • Failing to stop for police
Six points
  • Careless driving
  • Racing
  • Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more
  • Failing to stop for a school bus
Five points
  • Driver of bus failing to stop at unprotected railway crossing
Four points
  • Exceeding the speed limit by 30 to 49 km/h
  • Following too closely
Three points
  • Exceeding the speed limit by 16 to 29 km/h
  • Driving through, around or under a railway crossing barrier
  • Driving while holding or using a hand-held wireless communications/entertainment device or viewing a display screen unrelated to the driving task
  • Failing to yield the right-of-way
  • Failing to obey a stop sign, traffic light or railway crossing signal
  • Failing to obey traffic control stop sign
  • Failing to obey traffic control slow sign
  • Failing to obey school crossing stop sign
  • Failing to obey the directions of a police officer
  • Driving the wrong way on a divided road
  • Failing to report a collision to a police officer
  • Improper driving where road is divided into lanes
  • Crowding the driver’s seat
  • Going the wrong way on a one-way road
  • Driving or operating a vehicle on a closed road
  • Crossing a divided road where no proper crossing is provided
  • Failing to slow and carefully pass a stopped emergency vehicle
  • Failing to stop at a pedestrian crossing
  • Failing to move, where possible, into another lane when passing a stopped emergency vehicle
  • Driving a vehicle that is equipped with or carrying a speed measuring warning device (such as a radar detector)
  • Improper use of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane
Two points
  • Failing to lower headlight beam
  • Improper opening of a vehicle door
  • Prohibited turns
  • Towing people – on toboggans, bicycles, skis, for example
  • Failing to obey signs
  • Failing to share the road
  • Improper right turn
  • Improper left turn
  • Failing to signal
  • Unnecessary slow driving
  • Reversing on a highway
  • Driver failing to wear a seatbelt
  • Driver failing to ensure infant passenger is secured
  • Driver failing to ensure toddler passenger is secured
  • Driver failing to ensure child is secured
  • Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is wearing seatbelt
  • Driver failing to ensure passenger under 16 years is occupying a position with a seatbelt
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