Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
New driver rating system unveiled

By: Staff Writer

25/01/2010 2:50 PM | Comments: 17


A new program for setting driver's licences and vehicle premiums for all Manitoba drivers kicks in March 1. All drivers will be on the new Driver Safety Rating (DSR) program by February next year, Manitoba Public Insurance officials said Monday. With DSR, drivers will be able to earn 15 merits for safe driving instead the maximum five merits under the old system.

They will also see discounts on premiums as long as they keep their driving record clean. Drivers with poor records will pay more. For example, a driver with five merits and safe driving for the past five years--no at-fault collisions or traffic convictions--will be assigned a DSR level 10 when they renew their licence. This means they'll get a $25 discount on their driver's licence premium in addition to a 25 per cent discount off their Autopac premium.

To find out where you stand in the DSR program, MPI has created a DSR calculator on its website www.mpi.mb.ca/DSR/DSRCalculator.aspx
Manitoba drivers can also speak to an Autopac agent or call MPI at 985-7000 or toll free 1-800-665-2410.

city.desk@freepress.mb.ca

source: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/New-driver-rating-system-unveiled-82623997.html
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This is awesome news. I haven't checked in a couple of years, but I was near the maximum number of merit points. This will save me money. Additionally, it will punish the bad drivers, who are horrible on the road, or have a record of DUI's.

Its bloody well about time that MPI started recognizing good drivers and taker a harder stand on the yahoo's who continually drive like a$$holes.

Typical MPI commie bastards, my renewal is for February 22.

Anyone else see a conflict with the fox (MPI) overseeing the hen house (drivers licenses)?

grumpy old man wrote:Anyone else see a conflict with the fox (MPI) overseeing the hen house (drivers licenses)?

You mean that it is in their financial benefit to have more "bad" drivers and fewer "good" drivers?

They do like to assign blame to both drivers in a collision, thereby collecting increased prememiums from both parties, so it may have an effect. But one can always fight their decisions.

I don't like this new system at all....playing around with the calculator showed me that 1 single at fault collison reduces my MPIC discount by 15% even though I'm currently at 2 merits and have been claims free for over 5 years. Currently I have the full 25% discount, but one fender bender involving a left turn or in a parking lot (which they almost always assign 50/50 responsibilty) and I drop to a 10% discount even if the incident is not my fault (good luck proving it in a parking lot scenerio). That's some massive BS in my opnion.

How much do you want to bet that with this new scale there will be a dramatic increase in the amount of accidents classified as 50/50 responsibility? It's only in MPIC's best interest to ding both driver FIVE demerits using the new system.

I like the idea behind rewarding good drivers, and punishing bad drivers...but 5 demerits for a fender bender versus only 2 for speeding? WTF?

One piece of info that is missing is wheter they will continue the $200 surcharge on your license renewal if you have an at fault accident during the year.

I currently have 5 merits, can never get more under the current system, never had an at fault accident, 2 speeding tickets and 1 other violation (unnecessary noise), in 35 years of driving, yet I would lose my discount, pay the $200 surcharge, plus my deductible, in the event of a single at fault accident. Explain to me how the new system is not an improvement over that.

Freeman wrote:1 other violation (unnecessary noise)

Go on.....please elaborate!!!


(P.S. My driving record/merits are about the same....minus the violations of any kind, and 21 fewer years behind the wheel)

In the current system you CAN have one at fault claim in a 6 year period that does NOT affect your discount, but you have to pay the $200 surcharge.

" If you have at least six years of no at-fault accidents, you can have one at-fault accident and still qualify for a merit discount. However, you will have to pay a one-time surcharge on your driver’s licence of $200."

I would much rather pay the $200 surcharge and keep my 25% discount, than to have some idiot run into me in a parking lot (has happened to me twice in 12 years) and be unable to prove I'm not at fault, and lose 15% of my discount.

It just seems to me like the new system could be turned into an even bigger cash grab than the old one...especially considering the largest discount you can get is 30% at level 15....but you drop to level 10 and 25% with 1 single collision with no surcharge or way to keep your full discount (or so it seems). Then you look forward to what 10 more years to get those 5 merits back?

Sorry, just looked it up...under the new system merits are assigned at 1 per year. So that single accident will take 5 years to regain your merits from level 10 to level 15. So assuming you lose 5% discount per year for 5 years you'd be out $100/year (if your autopac is 2k) x 5 = $500 plus deductible for 1 single collision after 6 years of claim free driving. Under the current system your out $200 surcharge plus deductible. A difference of $300 or so.

I still dont see how this system is less than a cash grab for all but a very few. If you really want to punish bad drivers, increase the demerits for traffic violations but leave the current surcharge system in place for accidents. The new system leaves nothing in place for accident forgiveness for drivers with otherwise good driving records.

oh for christ sake.

15 points means frick all. other then ooooooo another whole $10 off your drivers license

what a god damn joke

BFD

How about Manitoba start insuring DRIVERS instead of just insuring CARS. Lousy drivers just end up insuring their vehicles under a spouses name anyways.

sputnik wrote:BFD

How about Manitoba start insuring DRIVERS instead of just insuring CARS. Lousy drivers just end up insuring their vehicles under a spouses name anyways.

Not a bad idea....

May I add to that thought?

While switching over to insure drivers, also implement a test-re-test program as well. Every 3-5 years a mandatory re-test. Maybe a two part test....say a written test the first cycle, then a full road test the following test cycle....

IMO, for an effective solution, both need to be working in tandem.

How about just really dealing iwth the bad drivers?? Why is there such a reluctance on behalf of MPI to stick to those who are really the problem? This system is a step in the right direction. Have never supported the idea of including licensing with insurance. Thats just crap.

JT Estoban wrote:

sputnik wrote:BFD

How about Manitoba start insuring DRIVERS instead of just insuring CARS. Lousy drivers just end up insuring their vehicles under a spouses name anyways.

Not a bad idea....

May I add to that thought?

While switching over to insure drivers, also implement a test-re-test program as well. Every 3-5 years a mandatory re-test. Maybe a two part test....say a written test the first cycle, then a full road test the following test cycle....

IMO, for an effective solution, both need to be working in tandem.

A mandatory re-test would just add to the costs of your insurance since they should have to hire testers to constantly test drivers.

I figure your driving record is a good enough "test" of your driving abilities and should be reflected on your insurance bill. Get a DUI or a couple of at-fault accidents within 12 months and get a $3000 insurance bill regardless of what car you drive.

sputnik wrote:
I figure your driving record is a good enough "test" of your driving abilities...

Or the driving abilities of those around you

I agree though, it would be extra costs added to your license. However, I would GLADLY pay the extra cost if testing was made mandatory for seniors.

And I don't want to discriminate, but in particular, if you are over 65 and wear a fedora, you DEFINITELY need to be retested, preferably daily...

I cant remember where I was reading.. hmm.. maybe on a wiki link but apparently in italy they retest every 3 years once you are over 50?

I really dont see much of an issue (other then bloating the civil ranks even more) with making testing mandatory. But I also really dont see it helping to terribly much simply becuase people would find ways around it... ie drink 4 red bulls 20 minutes before the test and actually be alert.

lol

Diking red bull = Alert? ..... enough to call for an ambulance and have a defibrillator on stand-by? lol

That's not what I would call it...but....

yeah yeah you know what I mean.

ok, screw re-testing.

Hell, screw testing all-together for that matter. So long as you can pony up the cash, who cares right? (Just like India...if you can turn the key, here's your license!)

Ok, back to the main issue of this thread...the new MPI merit system.

Basically, MPI is changing the playing field....the good drivers will no longer be subsidising the bad.
That's good for good drivers....bad for bad drivers.
Currently:
-PPL who speed, but don't crash, cost less (to MPI) than what they are paying MPI (in premiums)
-PPL who don't speed, but still manage to crash, cost more than what MPI is taking in premiums.
-PPL who speed and crash, cost MPI way more money than they are taking in, and those will be the folks feeling the pain with this program.

Don't speed (or just don't get caught!) and don't crash, and you'll pay less.

The current top-end discount off your license is 25%, that'll be increasing to 35% and possibly more (tho not approved by the PUB)
So, MPI is actaully expecting to LOOSE money over the initial roll-out period...that's what they were saying within the initial press releases about this progam last year.

"The current top-end discount off your license is 25%, that'll be increasing to 35% and possibly more (tho not approved by the PUB)"

where does it say anything about increasing to 35%? their handy little calculation chart does not show that... but really.. shouldnt that increase to at least 50%? then there might be some merit in the system.

Sorry....correction, 30%, not 35%

sigh only 30%? they go through all this bother to give us good drivers a whole extra 5%? Ridiculous.
5% extra for each of the first 5 merits and 1% extra for every merit earned after that would make more sense.

This clipped from the CBC's article on the matter, added emphasis is mine:

"
The features of the new rating system include:

• Instead of limiting merits to a total of five, Manitoba drivers will be able to earn up to 15 for demonstrated safe driving.
  
• Those
  with a record of safe driving will earn one merit for every year of no
  at-fault collisions or traffic convictions. Currently, it takes two
  years to earn one merit.
  
• With more merit levels, it will be
  possible for a driver to have more than one at-fault crash and still
  receive a discount on premiums, MPI said very safe drivers could earn
  even better discounts after reaching the highest point on the scale.
  

However, MPI said any discounts over and above the 30 per cent mark are subject to approval by the Public Utilities Board."

It is a lot of bother I suppose...

But at the same time, I'm a good driver..so I will not be paying as much to subsidize the bad drivers out there.

About friggin' time.