DRIVER’S GUIDE

Illegal drugs or alcohol will impair your
driving. Operating a vehicle safely and
responsibly requires that you be alert.
Impairment begins with the first drink or
drug use.
It is important that all drivers
understand the risks if drinking or drug
use and driving, and realize that there
are risks, laws and penalties involved
with this choice. You may face:
• heavy fines
• a criminal record
• time in jail
• the loss of your driver’s licence
privileges
• increased vehicle insurance premiums
• damage to property
• serious injury or death
• loss of employment, if driving is
required as part of the job
Driving responsibly
Demerit points and
consequences
Demerit points are recorded against
your driving record when you are
convicted of an offence.
You are convicted of an offence
when you:
• pay the fine assessed on your ticket
voluntarily
• appear in court and are found guilty
• fail to appear in court and are
‘convicted (guilty) in absence’
Convictions and times when your
driver’s licence privileges have been
suspended remain on your driving record
for 10 years and will appear on your
driver’s abstract.
FULLY-LICENSED DRIVERS:
If you have accumulated eight to 14
demerit points within a two year period,
you will receive a letter notifying you of
your demerit point standing.
If you have accumulated 15 or more
demerit points within a two-year period
your driver’s licence privileges will
be automatically suspended for a period
of time.
When the time of your suspension
has been served, your driver’s licence
privileges will be reinstated with seven
demerit points remaining on your driver’s
licence record. These points remain on
your driver record for a period of two years
from the reinstated date on the letter.
GRADUATED DRIVER LICENCE
(GDL) DRIVERS:
If you have accumulated four to seven
demerit points within two years, you
will receive a letter notifying you of your
demerit point standing.
If you have accumulated eight or more
demerit points within a two-year period,
your driver’s licence privileges will be
automatically suspended for a period of
time.
When the time of your suspension
has been served, your driver’s licence
privileges will be reinstated with three
demerit points remaining on your driver’s
licence record. These points will stay on
your driver record for a period of two
years from the assessed date.
CHAPTER NINE
DRIVING WITHIN THE LAW 107