A Montrealer is calling it a case of double jeopardy after he had to pay a higher driver’s licence renewal fee for receiving a ticket.
Steve Abihsira is filing a class action lawsuit against Quebec’s automobile insurance board the SAAQ after he says he was penalized twice.
Abihsira got a ticket about a year ago on his way back from a hockey game at the Bell Centre for driving with a cell phone in his hand.
He paid the $200 ticket and received his four demerit points. He was surprised six months later when he was charged a nearly $70 increase in his licence renewal fee.
Abihsira said his insurance contribution jumped to $124 from $55 in July.
According to the SAAQ, the cost of a licence renewal is based on demerit points:
- None: $83.23
- 1-3: $121.66
- 4-6: $159.38
“I don’t get frequent tickets, so when I saw that I had to pay it again, I said, ‘I paid it already on the ticket, so why do I have to pay it again?’ It’s like double jeopardy,” he said.
