Does a red-light camera ticket impact your auto insurance rate?

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If you pull up to a busy intersection, chances are there’s a red-light camera tucked away, just waiting to catch drivers in the act of running red lights. Red-light cameras are there to act as a deterrent and catch drivers who run, well, red lights.   

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Running red lights is dangerous and can increase your chances of a collision. At the very least, you may get a ticket. But if you do, will your  car insurance premium  increase?   

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Photo radar-issued tickets vs. police-issued tickets  

The police have several ways to catch drivers running the red light. For instance, a police officer can park, hidden away at an intersection, keeping an eye on drivers as they approach the light. If a driver is deemed to have run the red light, the police can follow the driver, pull them over, ask for a licence, proof of insurance, and ownership. If a ticket is issued, the driver can choose either to pay the fine or fight it in court. When an Ontario police officer issues a red-light ticket to a driver, it’s $325 and  three demerit points .   

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With photo radar, however, there is no police-to-driver interaction. Instead, red-light cameras are installed at intersections that have a history of collisions and drivers running the lights. If the vehicle enters the intersection after the light has turned red, the camera takes a photo of the vehicle and the licence plate. The provincial Ministry of Transportation then mails the ticket to the house of the person who owns the vehicle (not the driver — and this is important), along with a photo, the date and the time of the incident.  

Since red-light camera tickets are recorded and issued by a camera, it’s not possible to detect who the driver of the vehicle is — hence why the ticket can only be issued to the owner of the vehicle, not the person driving it at the time of the infraction.   

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A red-light camera ticket is considered a fine, not a major conviction. The  fine in Ontario is $325 and is broken down and set by the  Provincial Offences Act  ($260), a  victim fine surcharge  ($60), and applicable court costs ($5). You won’t get demerit points for a red-light camera ticket, and as a result, your driving record won’t be impacted.   

British Columbia also doesn’t issue points on your driving record for a red-light camera ticket, unless you’re a commercial driver. In that case, you  will get points on your carrier record  and that could lead to a suspension of your commercial driving license.   

Will a red-light camera ticket increase my auto insurance premium? 

Red-light camera tickets generally won’t impact your insurance premium because you won’t get demerit points issued with the ticket, which means the ticket won’t show up on your driving record for your insurance company to see.  

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If you receive a red-light ticket from a police offer, however, you’ll likely receive demerit points, which will show up on your driving record. This will likely lead to an increase in your premium. Plus, you could get a conviction registered on your driving history for three years.    

It also depends on which province and what type of licence you’re carrying. If you have a G1 or G2 licence in Ontario, for instance, your licence could be suspended if you receive more than four demerit points. This will show up on your driving record and insurance companies will price you accordingly.  

If you think ignoring the red-light ticket is a good idea, don’t. It’s in your best interest to either pay or fight the fine. If you choose not to pay the fine, it could mean a refusal of your yearly licence plate renewal and you won’t be able to legally drive.   

Better yet, don’t run a red light at all. Fines and the risk of an increased insurance premium might be a minor inconvenience for some, but a serious collision is too high a risk for anyone.     

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