Toronto Traffic Tickets

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Speeding tickets in Ontario

The penalty for speeding tickets in Ontario goes beyond the demerit points and paying the fine. Your driving privileges can be revoked and your insurance rates can be dramatically affected to the point of non-affordability.

What You’re not being Told - Speeding Tickets

In the Province of Ontario, speeding is considered to be an absolute liability which means the Prosecution does not have to prove that you intended to speed to obtain a conviction. It only has to be proven that you were driving beyond the prescribed (posted) limit.
However this does not mean that you are guilty.

Mistakes on a Speeding Ticket

A non-fatal error on the face of your speeding ticket is not enough to have your ticket thrown out of court. These types of errors can be amended by the Prosecution and the Officer involved.

How our Paralegals can help you, Beating a Speeding Ticket in Ontario

Our Paralegals are trained on the technique of introducing the element of strict liability as a defense to speeding, “ I sped up to change lanes in order to avoid a collision.” This defense is supported by the case law eg. R. V. Williams.

We can, on your behalf, bring forward the required motion to have tickets with fatal errors thrown out of court. 

When the elimination of your ticket is not possible, we will valiantly seek a resolution that can result in the reduction of point and fine.

Call 1 866 WE WIN 07 For Your Free Quote Today!

The Law in Ontario

HTA 128  No person shall drive a motor vehicle at a rate of speed that is greater than, (d) the rate of speed prescribed for motor vehicles on a highway in accordance with subsection (2), (5), (6), (6.1) or (7);

 

The Penalty and Costs of a Speeding Ticket in Ontario

1-15km/over 0 Demerit Points $3.00 for each KM over the speed limit (1-20 km) 16-29km/over 3 Demerit Points $4.50 for each km over the speed limit (from 1-20 km) 30-49km/over 4 demerit Points $7.50 for each km over the speed limit (from 30-49km)

 

As our lives become more and more chaotic, we consistently find ourselves strapped for time and it seems that many of us choose to make up those lost minutes by speeding in our cars on a daily basis. However, before you make a conscious decision to speed on your way home please make yourself aware of the various consequences associated with receiving a speeding ticket and realize that there is hope in having your speeding ticket eliminated from your record! Before you consider speeding, it's important to familiarize yourself with the type of equipment police officers utilize to prove that you have been speeding. Many drivers assume that the speeding devices police officers use are infallible, yet they are not. In fact some experts estimate that anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of all radar backed speeding tickets are issued in error. That's right, there might be a good possibility that your speeding ticket was a result of a mistake and you are innocent! In Ontario the three most common devices used by police officers to catch speeders are:

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RADAR (Radio Detection And Ranging)

Radar works by transmitting radio waves at certain frequencies which reflect off objects (such as your vehicle) and are then picked up by the radar. As the waves bounce off your moving car, a frequency shift occurs. This frequency shift is measurable and thereby, the radar unit converts the shift into kilometers per hour to determine your moving speed. There are two basic types of radar- stationary and moving. The stationary radar must be used from a fixed site, such as a parked patrol car. The moving radar, on the other hand can measure the speed of approaching vehicles while in motion, such as during an officer's driving patrol. Most radar have a relatively wide beam that can easily cover several lanes of traffic at a relatively short range. This is where the problem comes in. The radar may track a far-away large target instead of a closer small target without making a distinction which target it is tracking. The traffic radar cannot simply distinguish between targets within range and cannot identify for the police officer which target it's really reading. If there is more than one vehicle in range, it is up to the police officer to "guess" which target is the speeding one. It could be your speed, the car next to you, the overpass or sign in front of you. Who knows?

LASER (Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation)

Laser speed guns work by transmitting short bursts of invisible light, which bounce off a target vehicle and return to the laser gun. It then times the outgoing and return trips of the light bursts, thereby calculating the target's speed. By timing the outgoing and return trips of the light bursts, it can compute the target's speed. The laser is much more accurate as it possesses a fairly narrow beam which provides nearly foolproof target identification. Laser guns must be used from stationary position and are most effective at short range. The speed measurement is more accurate because it is not prone to radio interference or jamming, like with the radar.

PACING does not involve a police officer using any speed measuring device. It works by using a certified calibrated speedometer to match the speed of the violator's vehicle. To receive a speeding ticket as a result of pacing means that you weren't checking your mirrors frequently. Once an officer suspects you of speeding, he simply moves his car near yours, matches your speed, follows you a bit at the same distance and the checks his speedometer. Pacing is very accurate. In fact, of all the speed measuring devices, this once is the most difficult one to contend against.

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Speeding tickets should be approached with caution since they not only punish your wallet but also your driving record by adding points to your abstract. While the set fines that a speeding ticket carries may hurt your wallet, it's really the raised insurance premiums that do the most damage. While speeding tickets range anywhere from about $50 dollars to several hundred dollars, raised insurance premiums on the other hand, will set you back thousands of dollars! These days, insurance companies are getting wiser and are using your driving record against you. For instance, if you receive a speeding ticket for only 10 to 20 km over the speed limit, you probably won't see your rates go up. But dare to receive another minor speeding ticket or any other ticket for that matter and you will see your insurance rates increase significantly.

Ontario works on a demerit point system. Each driver starts with zero demerit points and the points are accumulated for each individual infraction the driver commits. For speeding tickets, these points remain on your record for three years after the date of the offense, and the amount of points depends on the speed driven over the limit. When it comes to speeding you can expect to see tickets anywhere from zero to six points:

Next time you receive a speeding ticket, consider pleading not guilty and ask for a hearing or set a trial date. Never just pay the fine, as you will automatically receive a conviction on your record! The odds are in your favor if you fight back, especially with the professional expertise from the paralegals at Traffic Ticket Fighters. You just have too much to lose when you decide that fighting off a speeding ticket is a waste of time!