Today, I finally received my Alberta driver’s license. I’ve been driving with an interim one. There was a strange notation on it, GDL, and I got a bad feeling. I showed it to Jody who confirmed that I was given a ‘graduated’ driver’s license, not a full one. I found the information about that buried in their website. At no time did anyone at Lethbridge Vehicle Licensing and Registrymention to me that I was trading my full Yukon license nor was there any information to this effect in the letter I got with the license.
There are two main restrictions with this license. The first is fewer demerit points, which isn’t an issue. But the second is. It’s a zero alcohol tolerance policy. I’m probably not the only person in the universe who can drive safely after drinking a beer with dinner. Now that I know about this restriction, I can heed it, but imagine if I hadn’t noticed that I have a GDL license and was pulled over after having a beer. Boom. I lose my license for a month. Good luck getting insurance at renewal time!
I can keep driving on my GDL indefinitely, but if I want to get the full license, something I have held without a ticket or at-fault accident since 1997 or 1998, will have to wait for two years, and will have to pay $75 for a road test. It’s another way for Alberta to keep squeezing blood out of turnips I guess.
SHAME on the folks at Lethbridge Vehicle Licensing and Registry! They saw how many bloody hoops I had to jump through and should have given me a heads up. I will be sending them a link to this post.
I wonder when they started this policy? When I moved from BC, there was no limitations put on the new license. (neither time as I did the move from BC to Alberta twice). Perhaps it was a typo at the license office. Perhaps call them and see if it can be corrected….
An update will be forthcoming. Hint: do not be born in Quebec.
I thought that might have been it, but having changed to Yukon first, I would have thought you were past it. Another Quebec born friend had a heck of a time getting a passport because her birth certificate was dated before Quebec did them separate from the baptismal certificates and a church issued document doesn’t count. 🙁
Hi Rae
You would still have insurance, you don’t lose your merit for losing your license for a month. It only makes an impact if you lose it for a year or more.
Insurance is on a GRID level system, so your years of having a licence will be applied to your insurance level. You should be fine there.
I think perhaps they made a mistake on the licensing. Check with a registry office. Worth your while on that.
You always trade in your former license when you get a new one in a new province. Part of the deal. Can’t hold licenses in all Provinces! 🙂
Hi Karyn,
Come renewal time for insurance, there is no way that a suspension wouldn’t affect the rates and availability of coverage.
I know that trading in the license has to be done, but it shouldn’t be this messy. And I still maintain that there should be a Canadian driver’s license instead of a bunch of territorial/provincial ones. Would probably save a bunch of money.
Pingback: Tip: Don’t Be Born In Quebec | Travels With Miranda
Hi Rae, not to argue with you but since I have been in the business of selling insurance for almost 25 years, I can honestly tell you that it does not affect your record, in Alberta (where I have worked in my career for the quarter of a century). A suspension less than a year cannot affect a driving record for insurance purposes as it’s not partial years they are concerned about. It’s whole years.
Quebec has their own set of laws and regulations which tends to complicate things. But Alberta is Government insurance (for a few years now) and things are much different.
Availability of coverage is not a concern unless you have a very bad driving record (ie; accidents or DUI’s). A suspension does not make you qualify for the Facility association any longer. That was scrapped some 7 years ago.
Karyn, I’ll take your word for it since I just got here. But I would imagine that a suspension for breaking the zero alcohol rule would be considered equivalent to a DUI, no?
What do you mean about government insurance? I know that Manitoba has that. But here it was just like in Yukon and Quebec; I had to find a broker who dealt with a private insurance company.
A suspension does not necessarily meant a conviction. Sometimes it takes a year to get to court to fight something that serious. Justice system. If you are convicted of the DUI, you do lose your license for a longer period of time. The insurance company cannot penalize you until you have been convicted. Because of the nature of the offence (criminal law) it has to go to court to determine guilt. That’s where lawyers make money right?
Alberta’s TPL (third party liability) is sold by private insurers however, we all have the same rates. Your premium is determined by your history and your years of having a licence. It’s determined on a GRID system. The section C coverages are not government, so they are where the insurer’s make their money (collision, comprehensive).
You still need to find a broker, chose well. Higher deductibles offset higher premiums but be careful as this is the money you would have to pay regardless of fault (base the deductible on your budget).
AUTOPAC (manitoba) and ICBC (British columbia) sell the TPL through the same lines but use a different method for it.
Feel free to email me if you need more info on this. It tends to get confusing.
I’m not arguing with you Karyn; you’re obviously an expert in this area. 🙂 I just know that the broker I went to (who got me AMAZING rates) asked if I’d had suspensions in the last so many years. If so, the premiums would have jumped right up.
Pingback: Matters of Residency | Travels With Miranda