‘Dramatic increase’ in motorists with expired licences, police say

Some Ontarians may perhaps be stunned to learn they have been driving all-around with expired licences, plates and health cards soon after the Ontario authorities halted most mail reminders final March.

“We’ve witnessed a genuine extraordinary raise in persons not renewing their licence plates,” said Sgt. Rob Cairns with the Ottawa Police Service’s visitors products and services device. 

“We’re also seeing an maximize in people not remaining properly certified — in the simple fact that they haven’t renewed their licence.”

The Ontario federal government has stopped mailing out paper renewal notices for driver’s licences, licence plate stickers, and wellbeing playing cards that expired on or following March 1, 2022, apart from to particular groups.

Previous calendar year, the province also scrapped expenses for licence plate renewals — but folks nonetheless require to renew their plates.

Final Wednesday, Ottawa police performed the 3rd in a series of blitzes to catch drivers with expired licences and plates. In considerably less than three several hours, officers handed out 54 tickets, such as 38 for having expired plates and two for driving without the need of a legitimate licence. 

In the course of a comparable campaign previous month, law enforcement ticketed 74 drivers — 52 for expired plates and four for lacking valid licences.

Cairns mentioned a lot of individuals who are pulled about by police are amazed to uncover their licence has expired and plead ignorance mainly because they failed to get the reminder. 

Which is not a good excuse, he mentioned.

“It is not the obligation of the [Ministry of Transportation] to remind you,” mentioned Cairns. “It can be down to the person to ensure the auto is correctly accredited and they also have a current driving licence.”

Well being cards also expired

CBC also termed various doctor’s offices throughout Ottawa to get a perception of no matter whether individuals ended up renewing their health and fitness cards.

Some clinics said the issue is rampant, with up to 50 per cent of clients not recognizing their OHIP card is no extended legitimate.

A single receptionist explained to CBC staff members are taking the brunt of patients’ irritation when they uncover out their overall health card has expired.

Other clinics, however, mentioned they have not but seen an improve in the quantity of persons turning up for appointments with expired well being cards.

Expensive slip-up

Both equally the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) said people can indicator up for email or text reminders. Some individuals will also even now acquire notices by mail, which include anyone over the age of 70.

MTO did not deliver studies on the quantity of expired driver’s licences or licence plates in Ottawa and explained CBC would have to post a liberty of information ask for for that info — which normally takes weeks if not months to procedure.

Forgetting to renew can also be poor news for your wallet.

The great for an expired plate is $110 in Ontario, which rises to $325 for an expired licence. If you’re caught driving with an expired plate across the border in Quebec, that wonderful is a whopping $495.

If acquiring a steep great wasn’t plenty of, insurance policy rates can also consider a hit.

“You could see an boost in your premium if your licence has expired [or] has been expired for too long,” stated Anne Marie Thomas, director of shopper and marketplace relations with the Insurance policies Bureau of Canada.

“If you are associated in an incident, you have the opportunity of a claim currently being denied due to the fact your licence is suspended.”