It’s January…
You’re driving along in your car, at the speed limit…
There’s no snow on the road, but conditions are slippery. There was some freezing rain last night. There are some icy patches. There’s probably some black ice out there too.
But you carry on, driving along.
Then… Suddenly… You hit some black ice… You slip… And your car begins to slide. It feels like slow motion. Your foot’s on the break, but it’s not helping. Your car continues to slide. It ends up in a ditch. You get out to assess the damage. Yep, there’s considerable damage. You’re gonna have to make an insurance claim.
Whose fault is black ice?
Then you think to yourself, ‘This was black ice. It wasn’t my fault. This shouldn’t affect my insurance rates.’
If that’s what you’re thinking, you’d be wrong. You see, any single vehicle accident will be considered an “at-fault” accident when it comes to insurance in Ontario. And, at-fault accidents do affect your insurance rates, sometimes by quite a lot.
Now you’re probably thinking that’s not fair. Perhaps that’s so, but that’s the way it is. And, it’s better to know that ahead of time. That way you can be proactive… Don’t drive the speed limit in icy conditions – Drive LESS than the speed limit… Put winter tires on your car… Or just simply stay home when the roads are icy (Or take public transit).
We’ve got the entire winter ahead of us. Drive safe – Your wallet will thank you.
