- A Canadian was fined for being involved in an uninsured accident 65 years ago.
- The 85-year-old had his drivers’ license suspended and has to pay a hefty fine.
- The senior driver can’t remember the accident, and is now looking for a lawyer.
A bizarre twist in traffic law enforcement has surfaced in Canada, leaving many people scratching their heads. It involves 85-year-old Ossie Gildart, who has been hit with a hefty fine for an accident that supposedly happened in 1960—yes, 65 years ago.
Gildart, who currently resides in New Brunswick, learned about the fine after a minor fender-bender in December 2024, which required him to retake his driver’s test. But instead of the usual procedure, he was informed that his license was suspended until he paid off a fine of CA$ 4,662 (about US$ 3,300 at current exchange rates).
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To his surprise, the fine was unrelated to his recent driving behavior behind the wheel of his Dodge Grand Caravan. Instead, it was linked to an uninsured accident that took place 65 years ago in Toronto. As reported by CBC News, Gildart has no recollection of being involved in an accident during the whole time he spent in Toronto in the early ’60s.
A Long-Delayed Surprise
What makes this situation even more puzzling is that Gildart renewed his driver’s license countless times over the years without any issues. While working as a service technician in Ontario, he had to renew his license every year. Then, in 1971, he moved to New Brunswick and obtained a Class 1 license to drive trucks for CN Rail. Yet, despite all these renewals, no one ever mentioned the alleged uninsured accident from decades ago.
According to a spokesperson from New Brunswick’s Department of Public Safety, Canada-wide scans are now being conducted to check for license suspensions in other provinces. However, if the court order is more than a decade old, the department is not obligated to suspend the license or collect the outstanding amount on behalf of another province.
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Although Gildart managed to get his drivers’ license back, he still has to pay the CA$ 4,662 (US$ 3,300) fine, which is owed to the Ontario Ministry of Transport. The 85-year old has opted for monthly payments of CA$ 200 (US$ 140), describing them as “a big slap in the face”.
Understandably frustrated, Gildart and his family are considering hiring a lawyer to challenge the decision. “I was never suspended. I never had a problem. I just can’t believe they’d do this to a senior that’s 86 years old next week,” he told CBC News.