Demerit Point Program and Service of Documents Regulation

(Consolidated up to 131/2022) ALBERTA REGULATION 331/2002 Traffic Safety Act DEMERIT POINT PROGRAM AND SERVICE OF DOCUMENTS REGULATION Table of Contents 1 Definitions Part 1 Demerit Point Program Division 1 Assessment and Recording of Demerit Points 2 Demerit point program established 3 Registrar ’ s obligations 4 Recording demerit points for demerit offences 5 Demerit points and multiple convictions 6 Effect of an appeal 7 Effect of appeal court ’ s decision 8 Date demerit points are imposed Division 2 Notice of Demerit Points, Adjustment of Points and Licence Suspensions 9 Notice of accumulated demerit points 10 15 demerit points trigger licence suspension 11 Notice and effective date of licence suspension 12 Suspensions to run concurrently 13 Adjustment of demerit points after suspension ends 14 Deletion of demerit points 15 Reducing demerit points 16 Request for demerit point review Division 3 Novice Drivers 17 Application of the Division 18 Notice of accumulated demerit points 19 8 demerit points trigger novice driver ’ s licence suspension 20 Adjustment of demerit points after suspension ends 21 Reducing novice driver ’ s demerit points Part 2 Deemed Service of Notices 22 Deemed service Part 3 Expiry and Coming Into Force 25.1 Expiry 26 Coming into force Schedules Definitions 1 In this Regulation, (a) “Act” means the Traffic Safety Act ; (b) “demerit offence” means an offence specified in Schedule 1 or 2; (c) “driving record” means the driving record of a person maintained by the Registrar under the Traffic Safety Act . Part 1 Demerit Point Program Division 1 Assessment and Recording of Demerit Points Demerit point program established 2 The demerit point program for drivers is established by this Regulation. Registrar ’ s obligations 3 The Registrar must, in accordance with this Regulation, record on or remove from a driving record any demerit points that are assessed against a driver or are to be removed from a driving record. Recording demerit points for demerit offences 4 (1) The demerit points specified opposite an offence described in Schedules 1 and 2 must be assessed against a driver and recorded by the Registrar in the driver’s driving record in the following circumstances: (a) if the person is convicted of a demerit offence, unless the person’s operator’s licence is suspended by the court for that conviction under section 86(1) of the Act; (b) repealed AR 214/2020 s2; (c) if the person makes a voluntary payment under the regulations under the Provincial Offences Procedures Act in respect of a demerit offence. (2) If a person is convicted of an offence under (a) an enactment of another province or the Parliament of Canada, or (b) an enactment of the United States of America or any state in the United States of America, that is, in the opinion of the Registrar, equivalent to a conviction of a demerit offence, the conviction in that other jurisdiction may be treated under this Regulation as if the conviction were a conviction for the equivalent demerit offence. (3) The Clerk of the Court must (a) as soon as practicable after a person is convicted of a demerit offence, notify the Registrar of the name of the driver and the demerit offence for which the driver is convicted; (b) as soon as practicable after the Clerk receives a voluntary payment under the regulations under the Provincial Offences Procedure Act in respect of a demerit offence, notify the Registrar of the name of the driver and the demerit offence in respect of which the payment was made. AR 331/2020 s4;214/2020 Demerit points and multiple convictions 5 (1) If a person satisfies the Registrar that demerit points have been assessed and recorded on the person’s driving record for multiple convictions arising out of the same circumstances, the Registrar must adjust the demerit points to assess and record demerit points for one conviction of a demerit offence only, being the conviction for the demerit offence carrying the greatest number of demerit points. (2) If the same number of demerit points are to be assessed for 2 or more convictions for demerit offences arising out of the same circumstances, the Registrar must decide on one conviction in respect of which to record the demerit points. Effect of an appeal 6 (1) If a person satisfies the Registrar that the person has appealed a conviction of a demerit offence, the Registrar must (a) record the appeal on the driving record of the person concerned, (b) delete the demerit points assessed and recorded on the person’s driving record due to the conviction of the demerit offence under appeal, and (c) pending the outcome of the appeal, terminate or not impose any suspension of an operator’s licence under this Regulation that resulted from the conviction of the demerit offence under appeal. (2) If there are multiple convictions of a person for demerit offences arising out of the same circumstances and not all demerit offence convictions are appealed, the Registrar must assess and record on the driving record of the appellant the demerit points for the conviction of the demerit offence that then carries the highest number of demerit points that is not under appeal. Effect of appeal court ’ s decision 7 (1) As soon as practicable after the court makes a decision about an appeal from a demerit offence conviction, the Clerk of the Court must notify the Registrar of the name of the driver, the outcome of the decision and the date of the decision. (2) If an appeal against a conviction of a demerit offence for which demerit points were originally assessed is unsuccessful, the Registrar must record the demerit points originally assessed and recorded on the driving record of the person concerned and delete any demerit points recorded under section 6(2). Date demerit points are imposed 8 Demerit points are to be considered to have been imposed, as the case requires, (a) on the date of conviction of a demerit offence; (b) on the date voluntary payment in respect of a demerit offence is received by the Clerk of the Court under the regulations under the Provincial Offences Procedure Act . Division 2 Notice of Demerit Points, Adjustment of Points, and Licence Suspensions Notice of accumulated demerit points 9 (1) If at any one time a total of 8 or more but less than 15 demerit points accumulate on the driving record of a person, the Registrar must give that person written notice of the number of demerit points accumulated on the person’s driving record. (2) Failure to give the notice does not affect the operation of this Regulation or the duty of the Registrar to suspend an operator’s licence under this Regulation if the situation requires. 15 demerit points trigger licence suspension 10 (1) If at any one time a total of 15 or more demerit points accumulate on the driving record of a person within any period of 2 years, the Registrar must suspend that person’s operator’s licence for one month. (2) If at any one time a total of 15 or more demerit points accumulate on the driving record of a person within one year from the date the person’s operator’s licence is suspended under subsection (1), the Registrar must suspend that person’s operator’s licence for 3 months. (3) The Registrar must suspend a person’s operator’s licence for 6 months if, within a period of 2 years (a) the person’s operator’s licence is suspended twice under this Regulation, and (b) after the second licence suspension, the person has, at any one time, a total of 15 or more demerit points. (4) An operator’s licence must be suspended despite the fact that between the date the person accumulated 15 or more demerit points and the date the person receives notice of the licence suspension, the person is (a) entitled to a reduction or deletion of demerit points to less than 15 demerit points, or (b) entitled to deletion of demerit points under section 14. (5) This section does not apply to novice drivers to whom Division 3 applies. Notice and effective date of licence suspension 11 The Registrar must (a) give a notice of suspension of an operator’s licence within one year from the date the person accumulated the last demerit point that caused the operator’s licence to be subject to suspension, and (b) in the notice specify the date on which the suspension takes effect. Suspensions to run concurrently 12 Any period of suspension of an operator’s licence as a result of the accumulation of demerit points runs concurrently with the unexpired portion of any period of suspension of that licence, or any period of prohibition on holding an operator’s licence, imposed by any other authority. Adjustment of demerit points after suspension ends 13 (1) Subject to subsection (2), when the suspension of an operator’s licence that is imposed by the accumulation of demerit points ends or is terminated, the Registrar must adjust the person’s driving record (a) by deleting all demerit points that accumulated to cause the suspension, and (b) by recording on the driving record 7 demerit points when the operator’s licence is reinstated. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply (a) if the suspension is terminated as a result of a successful appeal of a conviction of a demerit offence, or (b) to novice drivers to which Division 3 applies. Deletion of demerit points 14 (1) The Registrar must delete from a driving record demerit points recorded as a result of a conviction for a demerit offence (a) 2 years after the date on which the demerit points are considered to be imposed under section 8, or (b) if there was an unsuccessful appeal of the conviction, on the date that results from calculating 2 years after the date on which the demerit points are considered to be imposed under section 8 and adding the period of time during which the demerit points were deleted by the Registrar under section 6(1)(b). (2) Two years after demerit points are recorded on a driving record as a result of the reinstatement of an operator’s licence under section 13 the Registrar must delete those demerit points. Reducing demerit points 15 (1) If a person successfully completes a course that is satisfactory to the Registrar while that person has 14 demerit points or less on the person’s driving record, the person is entitled, in the 2 years following completion of the course, to (a) a 2‑demerit point reduction if the person has 2 demerit points on the person’s driving record, or (b) a 3‑demerit point reduction if the person has 3 or more demerit points on the person’s driving record. (2) A person whose operator’s licence is suspended is entitled to a 3 point reduction of the 7 demerit points imposed when the licence is reinstated if, while the licence was suspended, the person successfully completed a course that is satisfactory to the Registrar. (3) If demerit points are reduced under subsection (1) or (2), no further demerit point reduction is permitted under this section until at least 2 years have passed from the date the demerit points were deleted from the person’s driving record. (4) This section does not apply to novice drivers to which Division 3 applies. Request for demerit point review 16 (1) A person may request the Registrar to review the person’s driving record on any one or more of the following grounds: (a) an incorrect number of demerit points has been recorded; (b) a conviction has been incorrectly recorded; (c) the total number of demerit points accumulated on the driving record has been miscalculated; (d) demerit points or a sufficient number of demerit points have not been deleted from the person’s driving record. (2) The request for review must be sent to the Registrar by registered mail. (3) If the Registrar is satisfied that the demerit points recorded on a driving record are incorrect, the Registrar must correct the record. Division 3 Novice Drivers Application of the Division 17 This Division applies to novice drivers, namely (a) the holder of a learner’s operator’s licence as defined in the Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation , and (b) the holder of a probationary operator’s licence as defined in the Operator Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation . Notice of accumulated demerit points 18 (1) If at any one time a total of 4 or more but less than 8 demerit points accumulate on a novice driver’s driving record, the Registrar must give that person written notice of the number of demerit points accumulated on that person’s driving record. (2) Failure to give the notice does not affect the operation of this Regulation or the duty of the Registrar to suspend a novice driver’s operator’s licence under this Regulation if the situation requires. 8 demerit points trigger novice driver ’ s licence suspension 19 (1) If at any one time a total of 8 or more demerit points accumulate on the driving record of a novice driver within any period of 2 years, the Registrar must suspend the novice driver’s operator’s licence for one month. (2) If at any one time a total of 8 or more demerit points accumulate on the driving record of a novice driver within one year from the date the novice driver’s operator’s licence is suspended under subsection (1), the Registrar must suspend the novice driver’s operator’s licence for 3 months. (3) The Registrar must suspend a novice driver’s operator’s licence for 6 months if, within a period of 2 years (a) the novice driver’s operator’s licence is suspended twice under this Regulation, and (b) after the second licence suspension, the novice driver has at any one time, a total of 8 or more demerit points. (4) A novice driver’s operator’s licence must be suspended despite the fact that between the date the person accumulated 8 or more demerit points and the date the person receives notice of the licence suspension the person (a) is entitled to a reduction or deletion of demerit points to less than 8 demerit points, or (b) is entitled to deletion of demerit points under section 14. Adjustment of demerit points after suspension ends 20 (1) Subject to subsection (2), when the suspension of a novice driver’s operator’s licence that is imposed by the accumulation of demerit points ends or is terminated, the Registrar must adjust the person’s driving record (a) by deleting all demerit points that accumulated to cause the suspension, and (b) by recording on the driving record 3 demerit points when the licence is reinstated. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the suspension is terminated as a result of a successful appeal of a conviction of a demerit offence. (3) Two years after demerit points are recorded on a driving record as a result of the reinstatement of a novice driver’s operator’s licence under subsection (1) the Registrar must delete those demerit points. Reducing novice driver ’ s demerit points 21 (1) If a novice driver successfully completes a course that is satisfactory to the Registrar while that person has 7 demerit points or less on the person’s driving record, that person is entitled in the 2 years following completion of the course, to (a) a 2‑demerit point reduction if the person has 2 demerit points on the person’s driving record, or (b) a 3‑demerit point reduction if the person has 3 or more demerit points on the person’s driving record. (2) A novice driver whose licence is suspended is entitled to deletion of the 3 demerit points, imposed when the licence is reinstated if, while the licence was suspended, the novice driver successfully completed a course that is satisfactory to the Registrar. (3) If demerit points are reduced under subsection (1) or (2), no further demerit point reduction is permitted under this section until at least 2 years have passed from the date the demerit points were deleted from the notice driver’s driving record. Part 2 Deemed Service of Notices Deemed service 22 (1) A notice described in subsection (2) is sufficiently served on a person if it is sent by registered mail to that person’s last address shown in the records of the Registrar, and service is deemed to be effected on the 5th day following the day on which the envelope in which the notice is placed is mailed. (2) Subsection (1) applies to (a) notices of suspension or cancellation of an operator’s licence issued under the Act or a regulation made under the Act; (b) notices of disqualification of any person from holding an operator’s licence issued under the Act or a regulation made under the Act; (c) notices of suspension or cancellation of a certificate of registration or a permit issued under the Act or a regulation made under the Act. Part 3 Expiry and Coming into Force 23 Repealed AR 82/2016 s3. 24 Repealed AR 82/2016 s4. 25 Repealed AR 82/2016 s5. Expiry 25.1 For the purpose of ensuring that this Regulation is reviewed for ongoing relevancy and necessity, with the option that it may be repassed in its present or an amended form following a review, this Regulation expires on November 1, 2028. AR 131/2022 s3 Coming into force 26 This Regulation comes into force on the coming into force of section 18 of the Traffic Safety Act . Schedule 1 Demerit Points Description of offence Enactment and Section Number Demerit (for convenience Traffic Safety Use of Highway Points of reference only) Act and Rules of the Road Regulation 1 Failing to remain at the scene of an accident 69(1) 7 2 Speeding - exceeding limit by more than 50 kph 115(2)(p) 53(5)(c) 6 2.1 Speeding - exceeding limit by more than 50 kph 115(2)(p.1) 6 2.2 Speeding - exceeding limit by more than 50 kph 115(2)(p.2) 6 2.3 Speeding - exceeding limit by more than 50 kph 115(2)(t) 6 2.4 Speeding - exceeding limit by more than 50 kph 115(2)(r) 6 3 Careless driving 115(2)(b) 6 4 Racing 115(2)(c) 6 5 Bet or wager 115(2)(d) 6 6 Fail to stop school bus, explosives at uncontrolled railway crossing 42(5) 5 7 Fail to stop for a peace officer 166(2) 5 8 Speeding ‑ unreasonable rate 2(1)(a) 4 9 Speeding ‑ exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph 115(2)(p) 53(5)(c) 4 9.1 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph 115(2)(p.1) 4 9.2 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph 115(2)(p.2) 4 9.3 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph 115(2)(t) 4 9.4 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 30 kph but not more than 50 kph 115(2)(r) 4 10 Following too close 18 4 11 Failing to stop for school bus 72(1) 6 12 Failing to notify owner: (a) of an unattended vehicle damaged in accident 69(2)(a) 3 (b) of property damaged in accident 69(2)(b) 3 13 Driver fail to make accident report 71(1) 3 14 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph 115(2)(p) 53(5)(c) 3 14.1 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph 115(2)(p.1) 3 14.2 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph 115(2)(p.2) 3 14.3 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph 115(2)(t) 3 14.4 Speeding - exceeding limit by over 15 kph but not more than 30 kph 115(2)(r) 3 15 Improper passing in school zone 8 3 16 Meeting and passing oncoming vehicle 14 3 17 Passing on hill or curve 19(1) 3 18 Passing when meeting oncoming vehicle 20 3 19 Overtaking and passing 21(1) 3 20 Passing restrictions 23 3 21 Passing vehicle stopped at crosswalk 41(2) 4 22 Driving left of centre 12(1) 3 23 Driving wrong way on one‑way highway 17 3 24 Impeding passing vehicle 21(2) 3 25 Impeding passing vehicle ‑ multi‑lane highway 22(2)(b) 3 25.1 Passing stopped vehicle with flashing lamps 22.1(1) 3 25.2 Failing to take reasonable precautions to allow vehicle to move into the further traffic lane 22.1(2) 3 25.3 Overtaking and passing snow plows 22.2 3 26 Failing to yield right of way to a vehicle: (a) at intersection 34 3 (b) at “yield” sign 39 3 (c) in traffic circle 40 3 (d) at “merge” sign 50, 51 3 (e) at green light 52(1), (3)‑(5) 3 (f) at flashing yellow light 53(3) 3 27 Failing to yield right of way to a pedestrian: (a) at alley entrance 36(3) 3 (b) in a crosswalk 41(1) 4 (c) at a green light 52(1)‑(5) 3 (d) at flashing yellow light (intersection) 53(3) 3 (e) at flashing yellow light (not at intersection) 53(4) 3 (f) at flashing yellow light (with zone sign) 53(5)(d) 3 28 Failing to stop: (a) before entering highway 36(2) 3 (b) at “stop” sign 37 3 (c) for vehicle sounding siren 65(1) 3 (d) following emergency vehicle too close 65(2) 3 (e) at railway crossing 42(2) 3 (f) driving around barrier at railway crossing 42(3) 3 (g) “stop” sign at railway crossing 42(4)(a) 3 (h) yellow light at intersection 53(1) 3 (i) yellow light ‑ not at intersection 53(2) 3 (j) red light at intersection 54(1)(a) 3 (k) red light ‑ not at intersection 54(4) 3 (l) flashing red light at intersection 54(5)(a) 3 (m) flashing red light ‑ not at intersection 54(6)(a) 3 29 Proceeding when unsafe: (a) entering highway at “stop” sign 38 3 (b) “stop” sign at railway crossing 42(4)(b) 3 (c) to pass school bus 72(2) 3 (d) red light at intersection 54(1)(b) 3 (e) flashing red light at intersection 54(5)(b) 3 (f) flashing red light ‑ not at intersection 54(6)(b) 3 30 Stunting 115(2)(f) 3 30.1 Distracted driving - holding, viewing or manipulating cell phone, electronic device, etc. 115.1(1) 3 30.2 Distracted driving - display screen visible to driver 115.2(1) 3 30.3 Distracted driving - global positioning system 115.3(1) 3 30.4 Distracted driving - prohibited activities 115.4(1) 3 (a) reading or viewing printed material (b) writing, printing or sketching (c) personal grooming or hygiene 31 Speeding ‑ exceeding limit by up to 15 kph 115(2)(p) 53(5)(c) 2 31.1 Speeding - exceeding limit by up to 15 kph 115(2)(p.1) 2 31.2 Speeding - exceeding limit by up to 15 kph 115(2)(p.2) 2 31.3 Speeding - exceeding limit by up to 15 kph 115(2)(t) 2 31.4 Speeding - exceeding limit by up to 15 kph 115(2)(r) 2 32 Traffic lane violation: (a) slow moving vehicle 3 2 (b) drive near centre line 2(1)(b) 2 (c) solid lines 15(1) 2 (d) unsafe lane change 15(4) 2 (e) failing to drive in middle of marked lane 15(5) 2 (f) straddling 2 lanes 15(6) 2 (g) 3 lane highways 16(1) 2 (h) lane marked with “X” 27(4) 2 33 Failing to obey instruction of traffic control device 57 2 34 Slow driving impeding traffic 2(1)(c) 2 35 Driving at less than minimum speed 115(2)(q) 2 36 Failing to obey peace officer to increase speed, etc. 2(4) 2 37 Failing to signal: (a) when changing lanes 15(2) 2 (b) turning left or right 24 2 (c) when stopping 35 2 38 Improper turns: (a) right turns, various 25 2 (b) left turns, various 26 2 (c) turns controlled by traffic control device 27(1), (2) 2 (d) U‑turns 29, 30 2 (e) U‑turn by school bus 31 2 39 Improper backing 32, 33 2 AR 331/2002 Sched.1;210/2005;108/2006;187/2015;131/2022 Schedule 2 Additional Demerit Points Applicable to Novice Drivers Description of offence Enactment and Section Number Demerit (for convenience of Points reference only) 1 Curfew Section 51(g) Traffic Safety Act 2 2 Having more passengers Sections 32(4) and 33(8) Operator than seatbelts Licensing and Vehicle Control Regulation 2 3 Supervisor not Section 51(e) or (f.1) fully qualified Traffic Safety Act 2 AR 331/2002 Sched.2;315/2003