Driving With Suspended License Ontario – What You Need To Know

Driving With Suspended License Ontario – What You Need To Know

• If you’re driving with a suspended license in Ontario, here’s what you need to know.

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✅   Drive Suspend Penalty Test – This free 30-second test will assess your Drive Suspension risks and penalties when you arrive at your first court appearance.

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✅   Book a free, confidential meeting with lawyer, Dan Joffe – You’re facing a mandatory 6-month driving suspension.  Let’s stop that from happening.

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1/  The law is clear.  And there are no exceptions.

• You can’t drive if your license is suspended in Ontario. Period.
• Even if you have a valid reason for driving, you still can’t do it.
• For example, we have clients who need to drive for work, support their families, and get to and from medical appointments.  
• But these reasons don’t matter. You still can’t drive.  
• And, this driving restriction applies even if you have an emergency.
• Bottom line. If your license is suspended in Ontario, don’t drive.

2/  If you get caught driving with a suspended license in Ontario, you’re facing a serious charge.

• The charge you’ll face is not a simple traffic ticket.
• It’s one of the most serious charges under section 53(1) of the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario, with very harsh penalties.
• The reason why the penalties are serious is that driving with a suspended license in Ontario is considered to be a public safety threat.
• Think about it this way. A car weighs 4,000 pounds. It’s like a weapon on wheels. That weapon can inflict physical harm, property damage, or even death.
• To protect the public, our lawmakers have implemented strong penalties to make people less likely to drive with a suspended license.

3/  It’s easy to convict.

• I just mentioned that the penalties are harsh because the lawmakers want to create a strong deterrence against driving with a suspended license in Ontario.
• And, to enforce that strong deterrence, the lawmakers made it easy to convict someone of this charge.
• Generally, a Prosecutor only needs to prove that when you were caught, you were not on private property and that your driver’s license was, in fact, suspended.
  
• And, there are no excuses.

4/  The penalties are harsh.

• If you’re convicted of driving with a suspended license in Ontario, you’ll be facing serious penalties.
• These penalties include a 6-month driving suspension, fines, and in some cases, probation and jail.
• And, it’s worth emphasizing that the 6-month driving suspension is mandatory with no exceptions.

5/  You have to appear in court.

• When the Police charge you, they will give you what’s called a summons. 
• This summons is not a traffic ticket.
• It will require you to attend court on a specific date and time.
• Your attendance is not optional.
  
• Your court appearance is mandatory, and if you don’t show up, you may be subject to additional charges.