Welcome to Monday Myths. Every other Monday, we are going to debunk the common myths about traffic tickets.
The Myth: The cop gave me a traffic ticket with no demerit points; because there are no points it won’t affect my insurance, so I’ll just pay it.
The truth: It is the conviction of the ticket itself rather than the amount of demerit points that will affect your insurance.
Demerit points are added to your licence (not taken away) when you are convicted of a Highway Traffic Act offence. Demerit Points will say on your Ministry of Transportation Record for 2 years. Demerit points only gauge your driving behaviour and to determine if your driving privilege should be taken away.
You can find your driving record online at the Service Ontario Website
Insurance companies, however, see a conviction. They determine if is a Minor, Major, or Criminal offence and raise your rates. Even better, they can hold the tickets against your for 3 years from the date of conviction. The date of conviction is the day you plead guilty (option 1 on the back of a ticket) or get convicted in court.
It is worth the time and effort to fight your traffic ticket or find someone to handle it for you.
Read more about Why Option 1 is your worst Option
Read more about At Fault Accidents and Insurance Premiums
