While they may sound similar, dangerous driving and careless driving are two distinct charges that carry different consequences. While both are serious, careless driving is a violation of Alberta Traffic Safety that deems a driver’s actions behind the wheel to endanger others. In contrast, dangerous driving is a Canadian criminal offence when a driver operates a vehicle with reckless disregard for public safety.
Again, the two charges may sound interchangeable, but there are significant differences between them. At We Defend, our expert team has been helping Albertans reduce or avoid the harsh penalties associated with careless driving and dangerous driving charges for decades. Here’s what you need to know:
What Is Careless Driving?
One of the challenges with careless driving charges is that there are no clear metrics for determining whether a ticket is warranted. That’s different from something like a speeding ticket, where it ultimately comes down to how fast you were driving in relation to the speed limit.
There is also a wide range of offences that can result in a careless driving charge under the Alberta Traffic Safety Act. These include:
- Racing another car
- Driving or stunting in a way that is likely to “distract, startle, or interfere” with other people using the road
- Tailgating too closely
- Driving over-aggressively
- Causing excessive noise while driving
- Driving without headlights when it’s dark
What Are The Consequences of Careless Driving?
When you get a careless driving traffic ticket, you are likely to face heavy fines, demerit points, and insurance increases. Not every careless driving ticket will have the same punishment, but they are considered serious under Alberta law, and the penalties are almost always stiff. That’s why it’s always a good idea to fight the charges with We Defend.
Some of the most important repercussions of a careless driving charge include:
- Heavy fines: Even if you were to receive the minimum fine for careless driving, it’s still expensive. The minimum is $567 while the maximum is $2,000.
- Demerit points: When you receive a ticket for careless driving, demerit points should be considered. A careless driving charge comes with six demerit points. If you’re on a GDL license, it only takes eight demerit points to earn a driving license suspension. Even with a full license, it only takes 15 demerit points within a two-year period.
- Jail time: In extreme cases, you can be sentenced to up to six months in jail for careless driving.
- Insurance increases: A careless driving conviction will almost certainly lead to much higher insurance premiums. This is sometimes a forgotten cost of careless driving traffic tickets, but increases in insurance premiums could wind up costing you thousands of dollars.
- Mandatory Court Appearance: Anyone charged with careless driving in Alberta must appear in court if issued a summons.
What Is Dangerous Driving?
Dangerous driving is considered an extremely serious offence in the eyes of the law. There are three main types of dangerous driving charges, and they escalate in severity.
The only requirement for a dangerous driving charge is that the driver was deemed to have driven their motor vehicle with “reckless disregard for public safety” and there was a “danger to the public who were either present or might have been expected to be present.”
Offences that can yield dangerous driving charges include:
- Tailgating too closely
- Speeding excessively
- Weaving in and out of traffic aggressively
Generally, most dangerous driving charges come from situations where the driving offence happened in the vicinity of other people, but that’s not always the case.
There are three varying degrees of dangerous driving convictions:
- Dangerous Driving Causing Death: The most serious cases of dangerous driving charges are those in which a passenger or bystander was killed. This is obviously a very serious charge that can result in life imprisonment. You’ll also have a criminal record even if the sentence is shorter.
- Dangerous Driving Causing Bodily Harm: If you’re found to have been driving dangerously and caused bodily harm to a passenger or bystander, you could face a jail term of up to 14 years and a 5-year license suspension.
- Dangerous Driving: Even if you didn’t cause death or cause bodily harm, the consequences of a dangerous driving charge can be severe. Jail time remains a possibility, as does license suspension. Dangerous driving charges carry 6 demerit points and can impact your insurance premiums, potentially affecting you financially for years.
Why You Should Always Fight Dangerous Driving & Careless Driving Charges
Imprisonment, demerit points, and expensive fines are all serious consequences for dangerous driving and careless driving, and they’re always worth fighting. That’s true of most traffic tickets, but especially so for careless driving and dangerous driving charges, as these charges are often based primarily on the arresting officer’s judgment. They make mistakes, and there is room for interpretation about what constitutes dangerous driving or careless driving.
Working with our expert team at We Defend will only benefit your case, as we have decades of experience helping Alberta drivers fight careless driving and dangerous driving charges, and can leverage our first-hand understanding of the justice system.
Fight Your Careless Driving Traffic Tickets & Win
If you get a careless driving or dangerous driving ticket, it can have a dramatic impact on your finances, your driving record, and your life in general. While the two charges are different, they’re both serious, and it is always best to fight them with We Defend to try to avoid or reduce the charges.
If you received a careless driving or dangerous driving ticket, call us today at (587) 806-3586 for a free consultation or learn more about our rates online.
FAQ
Do all careless driving charges in Alberta require court appearances?
Yes, if you are charged with a careless driving traffic ticket in Alberta you will need to appear in court. That makes it even more straightforward to fight the charges with We Defend so that they can try to get them reduced or avoided entirely.
What is the penalty for dangerous driving in Alberta?
The penalties can depend on the severity of the dangerous driving charge, but if you are charged with dangerous driving causing death, you could face life imprisonment. The consequences will be less substantial if nobody is hurt, but they can still be costly and are worth fighting.