What the charge actually is
Careless driving (Highway Traffic Act s.130) means driving "without due care and attention" — a catch-all police often lay after a collision precisely because it doesn't require proving a specific act. It carries 6 demerit points, heavy fines, possible licence suspension, and — the part that costs the most — insurers class it as a serious conviction.
What it does to your insurance
- Serious-conviction surcharge — commonly 25% to 100%+, for 3 years from the conviction date.
- Stacked on the accident — the at-fault claim (6 years) and the conviction (3 years) are rated separately and add up.
- Non-renewal risk — some standard insurers simply won't keep a careless conviction. That can mean the high-risk market, where premiums can double or triple.
Why fighting it is usually worth it
Two structural reasons. First, the charge is only a conviction if you're found guilty or pay it — a withdrawn or reduced charge never reaches your record. Careless driving frequently gets reduced to a lesser offence (a minor conviction instead of a serious one) in resolution discussions, because the Crown must prove the driving fell well below reasonable care — harder than it sounds. Second, the 3-year clock starts at conviction, so even an unsuccessful fight delays the insurance impact.