Learn more about ‘Good Driver Protection’, a short-term reform implemented by the Government of Alberta to assist Alberta drivers amidst affordability challenges.
Good Driver Protection is a short-term reforms that places a cap on premium increases for “Good Drivers”.
These short-term reforms were implemented through a Ministerial Order, which restricted the Automobile Insurance Rate Board from approving changes to rating programs where policyholders meeting the definition of “Good Driver” see an increase greater than the limit set out in the Order.
When your insurance company implements changes to their rating program to adopt the Good Driver rate cap, your premium increase will be capped at 7.5% in 2025 and 2026 if you meet the definition of “Good Driver”.
The Ministerial Order defines a “Good Driver” as a driver who, irrespective of their number of years of driving experience, on the inception date of the renewal of their auto insurance policy, does not have:
The definition of “good driver” changed under the Ministerial Order announced in October 2025. The AIRB will require insurers to file to change the definition with an implementation date for renewal business no sooner than 12 months after they adopted the previous Ministerial Order.
There are exceptions to the “Good Driver” rate protection, including:
| Description of Offence | Traffic Safety Act | Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation | |
| 1 | Speeding ‑ unreasonable rate of speed | 2(1)(a) | |
| 2 | Speeding (general) ‑ exceeding limit by up to 15 kph | 115(2)(p) | |
| 3 | Speeding (construction zone) ‑ exceeding limit by up to 15 kph | 115(2)(p.1) and (p.2) | |
| 4 | Speeding (passing emergency vehicle) ‑ exceeding limit by up to 15 kph | 115(2)(t) | |
| 5 | Speeding (flashing yellow light crossing) ‑ exceeding limit by up to 15 kph | 53(5)(c) | |
| 6 | Speeding (general) ‑ exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph | 115(2)(p) | |
| 7 | Speeding (construction zone) ‑ exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph | 115(2)(p.1) and (p.2) | |
| 8 | Speeding (passing emergency vehicle) ‑ exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph | 115(2)(t) | |
| 9 | Speeding (flashing yellow light crossing) ‑ exceeding limit by over 15 but not more than 30 kph | 53(5)(c) | |
| 10 | Speeding (general) ‑ exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph | 115(2)(p) | |
| 11 | Speeding (construction zone) ‑ exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph | 115(2)(p.1) and (p.2) | |
| 12 | Speeding (passing emergency vehicle) ‑ exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph | 115(2)(t) | |
| 13 | Speeding (flashing yellow light crossing) ‑ exceeding limit by over 30 but not more than 50 kph | 53(5)(c) | |
| 14 | Following too close | 18 | |
| 15 | Failing to stop, etc. when meeting oncoming vehicle on narrow roadway | 14 | |
| 16 | Passing on hill or curve or near railway crossing | 19(1) | |
| 17 | Passing on left when view obstructed or traffic present on left side of highway | 20 | |
| 18 | Failing to pass on left in safe manner or failing to return to right side of roadway in safe manner | 21(1) | |
| 19 | Overtaking another vehicle by driving off the roadway, in a parking lane or when unsafe | 23 | |
| 20 | Passing another vehicle stopped at crosswalk | 41(2) | |
| 21 | Driving left of centre line | 12(1) | |
| 22 | Driving wrong way on one‑way highway | 17 | |
| 23 | Impeding passing vehicle | 21(2) | |
| 24 | Impeding passing vehicle ‑ multi‑lane highway | 22(2)(b) | |
| 25 | Failing to yield right of way to a vehicle
(a) at an intersection, or turning left unsafely (b) at yield sign (c) in traffic circle (d) at merge sign (e) at green light or green arrow (f) at flashing yellow light |
34
39 40 50, 51 52(1), (3)‑(5) 53(3) |
|
| 26 | Failing to yield right of way to a pedestrian
(a) at an alley entrance or driveway (b) in a crosswalk (c) at a green light or green arrow (d) at flashing yellow light at intersection (e) at flashing yellow light not at intersection (f) at flashing yellow light with zone sign or symbol |
36(3)
41(1) 52(1)‑(5) 53(3) 53(4) 53(5)(d) |
|
| 27 | Failing to stop
(a) before entering highway (b) at a stop sign (c) for an emergency vehicle sounding siren (d) at railway crossing when a train is approaching (e) within prescribed distance from railway when stop sign (f) at yellow light at intersection (g) at yellow light not at intersection (h) at red light at intersection (i) at red light not at intersection (j) at flashing red light at intersection (k) at flashing red light not at intersection |
36(2)
37 65(1) 42(2) 42(4)(a) 53(1) 53(2) 54(1)(a) 54(4) 54(5)(a) 54(6)(a) |
|
| 28 | Unauthorized following within 150 metres of emergency vehicle sounding siren or with flashing lights or both | 65(2) | |
| 29 | Driving around barrier at railway crossing | 42(3) | |
| 30 | Proceeding when unsafe
(a) after stopping at intersection (b) after stopping for stop sign at railway crossing (c) after stopping for school bus (d) after stopping for red light at intersection (e) after stopping for flashing red light at intersection (f) after stopping for flashing red light not at intersection |
38
42(4)(b) 72(2) 54(1)(b) 54(5)(b) 54(6)(b) |
|
| 31 | Stunting | 115(2)(f) | |
| 32 | Traffic lane violation
(a) slow moving vehicle in incorrect lane (b) driving at less than maximum speed in designated fast lane outside an urban area (c) improperly crossing solid or broken lines or driving improperly on left side of broken lines on 2‑way highway (d) making unsafe lane change (e) failing to drive in centre of marked lane (f) occupying 2 lanes (g) improperly driving in centre lane of 3‑lane highway (h) driving in lane marked with “X” |
3
2(1)(b) 15(1) 15(4) 15(5) 15(6) 16(1) 27(4) |
|
| 33 | Failing to obey instruction of traffic control device | 57 | |
| 34 | Slow driving impeding or blocking traffic | 2(1)(c) | |
| 35 | Driving at less than minimum speed | 115(2)(q) | |
| 36 | Failing to obey direction of peace officer to increase speed, etc. | 2(4) | |
| 37 | Failing to signal
(a) when changing lanes (b) when turning left or right (c) when stopping |
15(2)
24 35 |
|
| 38 | Failing to make proper signal when starting, turning or changing the course or direction of a vehicle or stopping a vehicle on a highway | 9(b) | |
| 39 | Improper turns
(a) when turning right (b) when turning left (c) failing to obey traffic control device (d) making U‑turn unsafely or where prohibited (e) making U‑turn with a school bus where prohibited |
25
26 27(1), (2) 29, 30 31 |
|
| 40 | Backing up vehicle unsafely or where prohibited | 32, 33 | |
| 41 | Fail to ascertain sufficient space for movement | 9(a) |
| Description of Offence | Traffic Safety Act | Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation | |
| 1 | Failing to remain at scene of accident | 69(1) | |
| 2 | Improper passing in school zone or playground zone | 8 | |
| 3 | Speeding in school zone or playground zone | 115(2)(r)1 | 53(5)(c) |
| 4 | Speeding (general) ‑ exceeding limit by more than 50 kph | 115(2)(p) | |
| 5 | Speeding (construction zone) ‑ exceeding limit by more than 50 kph | 115(2)(p.1) and (p.2) | |
| 6 | Speeding (passing emergency vehicle) ‑ exceeding limit by more than 50 kph | 115(2)(t) | |
| 7 | Speeding (flashing yellow light crossing) ‑ exceeding limit by more than 50 kph | 53(5)(c) | |
| 8 | Careless driving | 115(2)(b) | |
| 9 | Racing | 115(2)(c) | |
| 10 | Driving on a bet or wager | 115(2)(d) | |
| 11 | Failing to stop for a school bus | 72(1) | |
| 12 | Driving while unauthorized | 94(2) | |
| 13 | Failing to stop school bus, vehicle carrying explosives, etc. at uncontrolled railway crossing | 42(5) | |
| 14 | Failing to stop for a peace officer | 166(2) | |
| 15 | Distracted Driving
(a) Reading or viewing printed material (b) Writing, printing or sketching (c) Personal Hygiene (d) Other activity prescribed in the regulations (e) Programming a GPS while driving (f) Using a cellphone or electronic device |
115.4(1)(a)
115.4(1)(b) 115.4(1)(c) 115.4(1)(d) 115.3(1) 115.1(1)(a),(b) |
1 Sections 107(2) and 108(1)(h) of the Traffic Safety Act (TSA) provide the authority to allow school and playground zones, the offences fall under TSA and Rules of the Road sections noted
Unfortunately, auto insurance rates will have to increase to pay for the costs of the current system.
Even with the modified rate cap, most insurance companies will still not charge premiums sufficient to cover their actual claims and operational costs. This is why a new system is necessary.
Good drivers will be capped at 7.5%. All other drivers will be subject to varying rate increases.
The AIRB is restricted from approving a rate change greater than 12.5% for all insurers’ policyholders, up from a previous 10% in 2025.
Since drivers capped by the Good Driver Rate Cap will be limited to a 7.5% increase, insurers will collect the rest of the approved increase from the remaining drivers. This could result in disproportionately higher premium increases for drivers excluded from the Good Driver Rate Cap.
No, the definition of Good Driver does not include drivers with an Accident Forgiveness Endorsement (SEF 39). If the driver has had an at-fault accident within the last 6 years, they do not meet the government’s definition of a Good Driver, and their premium will not be capped.
The SEF 39 only protects the driver’s premium from increasing in the insurance company’s rating system. Therefore, if the driver had the Accident Forgiveness Endorsement on their policy at the time of the accident, the insurance company cannot rate them for the at-fault accident, which would reduce the premium your insurance company charges.