Speeding is one of the most common traffic offences committed every day. Whether it be the inclination to go with the flow of traffic on a highway or, the desire to increase your speed to pass another driver, any driver faces the possibility of being issued a Provincial Offence Notice for speeding.
According to the Ontario Courts of Justice report for the 2018 calendar year, speeding accounted for almost 30% of all Provincial Offences in Ontario. More specifically, in the city of Guelph speeding accounted for 43% of all Provincial Offences issued. Of these percentages, between 83% and 90% of driver’s chose not to dispute their ticket in court.
On the back of your speeding ticket, you are always given the option to either pay your ticket right away or dispute your traffic offence in court. Never choose option 1 on the back of your ticket, here’s why:
Speeding can result in several implications as far as your Ministry of Transportation (MTO) driving record and insurance premiums are concerned.
Insurance
Speeding tickets and other traffic violations can potentially cost you thousands of dollars when it comes to your insurance payments. Speeding tickets remain on your driving record for three years. In addition, you may not be eligible for a “good driver” discount that may normally apply to you on your annual premium.
Driving Record
One of the most commonly asked questions is “how long does a speeding ticket stay on my driving record?” Any traffic tickets, including speeding, running a red light, careless driving, etc., stay on the MTO public driver’s abstract record for at least three years. Insurance companies can access this record, which is why it is so important to avoid convictions by filing your ticket with the court.
Demerit Points
Most driver’s are concerned with how many demerit points are associated with a traffic offense. Upon conviction, demerit points remain on your driving record for two years from the date of the offence. Once you reach 6 demerit points on your driving record, you receive a ‘warning letter’ from the MTO. At 9 demerit points or more, you should expect to receive a letter requiring you to have an interview with a Ministry employee. If you do not attend this interview the MTO can suspend your licence for failing to comply with their requirements. If you gain 15 demerit points, you will receive a driver’s licence suspension for 30 days upon your first suspension.
What About Speeding Tickets due to Photo-Radar?
The city of Toronto will be launching a photo-radar comeback sometime this year. This means that the radar can catch you speeding and will mail your offence notice to the address associated with your vehicle ownership. In this case, the owner of the car is liable for the offence. The good news here is that no demerit points can be associated with photo-radar speeding offences.
Receiving a Ticket in Other Provinces or States
Many Ontario drivers are under the impression that if they receive a ticket outside of Ontario their record will not be impacted. This is false. If you are convicted of a traffic offence anywhere in Canada, other than British Columbia or Nunavut, it will appear on your driver’s abstract. If you are convicted of a traffic offence in Michigan or New York, it will appear on your driver’s abstract
Where ever you receive your traffic offence in Ontario, Bulwark Legal Services can assist you in fighting your ticket in an effort to steer clear of convictions and penalties!
