Distracted Driving in Ontario: Fines, Demerit Points, and What G1 & G2 Drivers Need to Know

One glance at your phone. That's all it takes to earn one of the most expensive tickets in Ontario — and if you hold a G1 or G2 licence, the consequences are even tougher than for experienced drivers. Ontario has some of the strictest distracted driving laws in Canada, and new drivers are often shocked to learn how quickly a single conviction can suspend their licence, spike their insurance, or even remove them from the graduated licensing program entirely. Here's everything you need to know in 2026.

What Counts as Distracted Driving in Ontario?

Under section 78.1 of Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, it is illegal to use — or even simply hold — a phone or other hand-held communication or entertainment device while driving. [1] That includes:

• Texting, calling, or checking notifications
• Scrolling music playlists or social media
• Typing a destination into a GPS app while moving
• Holding your phone at a red light — yes, this still counts
• Viewing display screens unrelated to driving

Other distractions — eating, grooming, reaching for objects — aren't covered by the hand-held device law, but if they affect your driving, you can be charged with careless driving, which carries fines up to $2,000, six demerit points, possible licence suspension of up to two years, and even jail time. [2]

Penalties for Fully Licensed Drivers (G Licence)

For drivers holding a full A–G licence, penalties escalate with each conviction within a five-year window: [1]

The Rules Are Tougher for G1 and G2 Drivers

If you're a novice driver — G1, G2, M1, or M2 — you face the same fines as fully licensed drivers, but instead of demerit points, you receive much longer suspensions: [1]

The Hidden Cost: Your Insurance

The ticket is only the beginning. Most insurance companies classify distracted driving as a major conviction — the same category as some of the most serious traffic offences. For a young driver already paying elevated premiums, a single conviction can raise insurance costs significantly for three years or more, often adding up to far more than the fine itself. Some insurers may even decline to renew a policy after a major conviction. [3]

What You Can Do Legally

Ontario law does allow hands-free use, within limits:

• Mounted devices: a phone secured in a dashboard or windshield mount can be used for GPS — but program your destination before you start driving
• Bluetooth and voice commands: you may tap once to answer or end a call on a hands-free system
• Built-in screens: factory-installed displays used as intended
• Calling 911: permitted in a genuine emergency

Local Reality: Ottawa and Peterborough

Ottawa

Stop-and-go traffic on the Queensway and long red lights across Nepean and Kanata are exactly where new drivers get tempted to "just check quickly." Police in Ottawa regularly run distracted driving enforcement blitzes, and officers can easily spot a glowing screen from an adjacent lane or an overpass. School zones — where examiners already expect perfect behaviour on your road test — are a particular focus.

Peterborough

The busy commercial stretch of Lansdowne Street and the residential school zones around Monaghan Road demand full attention — the same areas where G2 road tests are conducted. Building a strict no-phone habit during your learner months means it will be second nature on test day and beyond.

5 Habits That Keep New Drivers Ticket-Free

1. Turn on "Do Not Disturb While Driving." Both iPhone and Android can silence notifications automatically when the car moves and auto-reply to texts.
2. Set your GPS before shifting out of park. Destination, music, climate — everything gets set before the wheels turn.
3. Put the phone physically out of reach. Glovebox, back seat, or a zipped bag. If you can't grab it, you can't hold it.
4. Let passengers be your co-pilot. Navigation changes and playlist requests go to the passenger seat.
5. Park to reply. If a message truly can't wait, pull into a parking lot, stop fully, and respond. Two minutes beats a 30-day suspension.

Distraction Management Is Part of Real Driver Training

At Safe Drive Ontario, managing distractions isn't a footnote — it's built into how our MTO-certified instructors train every student. Our Beginner Driver Education (BDE) course covers attention management, hazard perception, and the habits that keep your record clean, and our in-car lessons put those skills into practice on the real roads of Ottawa and Peterborough — including the exact zones where enforcement and road tests happen.