Demaras Racing has been banging this drum for years: Ontario makes it far too easy to get a driver’s licence. The testing is too forgiving, the training requirements are too weak, and once somebody gets that little plastic card, society basically crosses its fingers and hopes for the best.
We’ve also argued that parts of the licensing system have been corrupted. Every time another story emerges about fraudulent tests, questionable certifications or people somehow obtaining credentials they plainly should not have, critics are told these are isolated incidents. Yet driving standards in Toronto have gotten so bad it’s become obvious that there’s a systemic problem, even if some in the industry claim the system works.
According to a recent court ruling, Peel Driving School in Guelph sold a Beginner Driver Education certificate to an undercover agent for $200. The agent did not attend the classes. He did not complete the in-car lessons. He simply explained that he lived too far away to attend, was directed to another telephone number, sent an e-transfer and, presto, became an officially trained driver.
The certificate isn’t just a decorative piece of paper suitable for framing alongside your high school diploma! Completing driving school shortens the waiting period for the G2 road test, and reduces a driver’s insurance premium. In other words, the Province of Ontario was being told this person had completed driver training that never happened and that impacts all drivers in Ontario, and how much we pay for insurance.
After the payment was made, the Peel Driving School reported to the Ministry of Transportation that the undercover “student” had passed the course. Later, once compliance audits entered the picture, the school owner claimed the certification had been entered by mistake and asked that it be cancelled. The MTO wasn’t buying it, and the court ultimately upheld sanctions against Peel Driving School and its owner. This is exactly why Ontario’s licensing system deserves far more scrutiny.
We already expect astonishingly little from people before handing them the keys to a 2,000 kg of glass and steel, allowing them to drive at highway speeds. Apparently, even some of that minimal training can be replaced with an e-transfer.
If certificate courses can be faked, and road tests are a small bribe away, just image what happens when truck driving licenses are available for only $399.99 with free shipping. It’s a concern for all drivers in Ontario
Don’t worry. Eventually, after enough people have been maimed and killed by these drivers, the politicians will do the absolute minimum to look like they’re concerned.