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Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) is making changes to the province’s safe driver recognition program (SDR).

One of the biggest changes is with the safety rating scale.

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Currently, drivers pay a penalty of $25 for each negative point on the scale. That will double to $50 starting when the new rating system comes into place on Oct. 12, 2016.

Another change is with speeding infractions. Drivers currently lose points if they are caught going 35 km/h over the posted limit or are caught speeding in a high risk zone.

Come Oct. 12, drivers will lose points for all speeding convictions, except for photo radar infractions.

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In some speeding cases, the number of points a driver loses will increase.

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“Speeding increases your risk of being in a collision,” Andrew Cartmell, president and CEO of SGI, said.

“We see this play out time and time again in Saskatchewan. Tougher consequences under the SDR program should help ensure speeders get the message to slow down.”

SGI is also changing the at-fault threshold for collisions.

Drivers found to be at-fault for any collision will now lose points – four for claim payouts under $700 and six for payouts of $700 or more.

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There is good news for drivers without infractions.

The safety rating scale will grow by one point a year from the current +20 to +25, with drivers with those ratings receiving an equivalent percentage deduction from their vehicle insurance.

The changes come as a result of feedback SGI received when it began reviewing the SDR program in 2012.

Recommendations for the larger discounts and tougher penalties were approved by the Saskatchewan government late in 2015.

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