Should Ontario Impose Tougher Penalties for Dangerous Driving?
Official title: Strengthening Sanctions to Address High-Risk Driving - Keeping Criminals Behind Bars Act, 2025
Ontario wants to crack down on dangerous drivers. The proposal includes lifetime licence suspensions for anyone convicted of dangerous driving causing death. Police could also suspend licences on the spot for 90 days if they believe someone is driving dangerously. Fines for careless driving, distracted driving in commercial vehicles, and driving while suspended would all increase.
Why This Matters
Drive in Ontario? These rules would affect you. If you're convicted of dangerous driving causing death, you'd lose your licence forever. Even a roadside stop could mean a 90-day suspension before any court date. Truckers face steeper fines for phone use and speed limiter violations.
What Could Change
Lifetime licence bans would become mandatory for dangerous driving causing death. Police would gain new powers to suspend licences and impound vehicles on the spot. Commercial vehicle speed limiter fines would quadruple from $250 to $1,000. Careless driving penalties would include new administrative suspensions on top of higher fines.
Key Issues
- Should police be able to suspend licences for 90 days at roadside before any conviction?
- Should dangerous driving causing death result in a lifetime licence ban?
- Are the proposed fine increases appropriate for careless and distracted driving?
- Should commercial vehicle violations carry higher penalties than regular vehicles?
How to Participate
- Read the proposal summary on this consultation page to understand the specific changes being proposed.
- Submit your comments through the online comment form by the deadline.