Careless Driving is not only a very broadly worded charge but also a very common charge for police to lay in accident cases. It is also potentially crippling from an insurance perspective and carries with it 6 demerit points. The good news is that it is also generally one of the most defendable charges under the H.T.A.. Each case requires a careful analysis of the facts and definitely necessitates a meeting.
s.130 Careless Driving Every person is guilty of the offence of driving carelessly who drives a vehicle or street car on a highway without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway and on conviction is liable to a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both, and in addition his or her license or permit may be suspended for a period of not more than two years. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 130.
It is important (as with any accident charge) to make detailed notes as soon as possible after the incident. Please don’t forget to bring them with you when you attend the office for your free consultation. Coming to see us is absolutely the right thing to do.
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“… I was amazed how efficiently and quickly my case was dealt with. I went from worrying about my license, to a complete withdrawal of all charges! Fantastic!”*
Andy T., Toronto
Car accidents can happen at any place and at any time. Many will result in careless driving charges. Careless driving carries 6 demerits and can in many circumstances result in the loss of insurance coverage. Many careless driving charges should never have been laid in the first place. Contributing factors may include road conditions or errors in judgement or momentary inadvertence. The good news is that most careless driving charges can either be defended completely or reduced to a minor offence, which in either case will result in substantial savings from an insurance perspective. Careless driving can indeed be beaten but it is not a traffic charge that should be taken lightly. Careless driving is the #1 traffic charge that we defend. We are the only firm of our kind in Ontario and we will take good care of you.
We generally only assign Lawyers to attend to careless driving trials. While we do employ both lawyers and paralegals, we believe that the significance of the charge and the legal analysis required for a proper defence demand the skills of a professional Trial Lawyer for careless driving tickets. Paralegals do not attend Law School and while we certainly respect the skills of the paralegals that we employ, we would strongly prefer to assign a lawyer to any case where the charge is careless driving, or one of the more serious charges under the highway traffic act or criminal code.
We charge fees comparable with the industry, but we always offer free consultations. Anyone charged with careless driving will find the Lawyers in our Firm to be very understanding and very professional. If you find yourself facing a careless driving charge call us immediately to book a free consultation. Our first objective is always first to seek to eliminate a careless driving charge completely. The fall back position is to consider negotiation and reduction from careless driving to a more minor offence. If for some reason neither option is possible, then a full trial may need to be conducted and we will be pleased to provide you with an assessment and legal opinion regarding your prospects in relation to your careless driving ticket. No one will fight harder to defend you than our Firm.
We know that facing a careless driving charge and a possible court proceeding can be a frightening prospect, even for someone who believes wholeheartedly in their own innocence. It is very important to let us manage a careless driving case from the very beginning as errors made early in procedure or in negotiation can be difficult or impossible to undo. Many people have hired an agent or undertaken their own defence and plead guilty to a lower charge thinking they have been successful. Often a full defence to the careless driving charge could have been successfully mounted. There are many potential defenses to careless driving charges.
If you are facing a careless driving charge in Ontario, let us help you. Call us today at (905) 847-2777; (416) 284-9060; or 1-877-733-2203 to schedule a free consultation. Or, ask us about your careless driving charge and potential defenses via our online consultation form. Please do not plead guilty to careless driving without checking with us first. Careless driving is one of the most serious charges under the highway traffic act but we deal with them everyday. We are The Traffic Lawyers and we know Careless Driving charges.
*Past results are not necessarily indicative of future outcomes which will vary according to the facts of each case.
