Speaking for my jurisdication (Ontario), it is theoretically possible to find a driver guilty of careless or reckless driving and a penalty more severe than $50

Speaking for my jurisdication (Ontario), it is theoretically possible to find a driver guilty of careless or reckless driving and a penalty more severe than $500. In practice, it is extremely rare to see a serious charge, let alone a conviction, even when a driver strikes a pedestrian crossing legally in a crosswalk. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/05/18/is_a_persons_life_worth_500_highway_traffic_act_says_yes.html http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/05/18/is_a_persons_life... Here are some quick examples I found: http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2011/05/12/driver_fined_500_after_killing_pedestrian.html http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2011/05/12/driver_fined_50... http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2011/05/13/toronto_woman_fined_500_for_killing_pedestrian_88.html http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2011/05/13/toronto_woman_f... http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/449137/man-34-dies-after-being-struck-by-car-in-sackville-crosswalk/ http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/449137/man-34-dies-after-be... And it's not just Ontario: http://gothamist.com/2011/07/14/unlicensed_dump_truck_driver_who_ki.php http://gothamist.com/2011/07/14/unlicensed_dump_truck_driver... http://gothamist.com/2014/04/09/drunk_driver_who_killed_brooklyn_pe.php http://gothamist.com/2014/04/09/drunk_driver_who_killed_broo... http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/11/11/unlicensed-driver-who-backed-over-and-killed-yolanda-casal-fined-500/ http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/11/11/unlicensed-driver-who-... Et cetera, ad nauseam.