Two men pleaded guilty to driving without insurance in Jasper court on Nov. 10, prompting the presiding judge to issue a reminder about the stiff penalties in Alberta for this particular offence and the even stiffer consequences should an uninsured driver be involved in a serious collision.

Justice John Higgerty noted his hands are tied when it comes to the penalties in these cases, as the provincial government has legislated hefty fines against anyone caught operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

Under Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act, the fine for a first offence is at least $2,500, plus an additional victim fine surcharge of $375 for a total minimum penalty of $2,875.

That’s what Chad Nadeau and Dallas Klassen were each ordered to pay in Jasper court last week after they each pleaded guilty to driving without insurance in separate incidents.

In addressing Nadeau, whose case came up first, Higgerty also suggested the heavy fine is nothing compared to the consequences of being involved in a serious crash while uninsured.

The judge recalled an incident from years earlier in which an off-duty chauffeur made a minor driving error near Drayton Valley, resulting in a collision that claimed the lives of five people, all from the same family. He said he couldn’t even imagine the extent of the lawsuits that could stem from an incident like that, and the consequences it would have for an uninsured, at-fault driver.

“It would ruin you for life, sir,” Higgerty told Nadeau.

The judge gave both men until Feb. 23, 2012 to pay their fines, noting that they can also work off the penalties through community service.

Student Legal Services of Edmonton, a non-profit society dedicated to helping low-income individuals with legal issues, reminds Albertans that they can be charged for driving an uninsured vehicle even if it belongs to someone else.

“A person borrowing someone else’s vehicle must always check to make sure the vehicle has a valid pink slip,” the group states on its website. “A person may be found guilty, unless he/she has checked to make sure it is insured. Also, the registered owner of the uninsured vehicle may be charged for allowing the vehicle to be driven.”

The fine for a second offence of driving without insurance within a five-year period ranges from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $20,000.