So, you’ve found yourself with a speeding ticket. Essentially, you have two options: You can either bite the bullet and pay it or, if you feel you were unfairly charged, you can fight (or contest) the ticket. Contesting a speeding ticket could mean that the fine is reduced or that the charge is thrown out altogether. The trouble is, it can be a hassle to contest a ticket. To determine whether it is worth your while, ask yourself the following questions:
How will Paying this Speeding Ticket Affect My Insurance Rates?
When you get a speeding ticket, there’s more to the story than just paying a fine. Having a speeding ticket on your record could cause your insurance rates to go up for as long as three years. Contact your insurance company to determine their policy on traffic tickets. In some cases, your first offense will be overlooked, meaning it won’t be held against your insurance rates, but that’s not always the case.
Could this Ticket Affect My Job?
If you drive for a living (bus driver, truck driver, delivery person, etc.) having a traffic violation on your record could put your job in jeopardy. In situations like that, it’s definitely worth investigating how a traffic ticket would potentially affect your job. If you are required to have a clean driving record in order to keep your job, it’s probably worth contesting the ticket.
How will this Speeding Ticket Affect the Status of My Driver’s License?
Depending on the severity of the offense, you could obtain demerit points against your license for a speeding ticket if you are convicted of the offense (or if you don’t contest it). If you currently already have demerit points against your license, it could be worth fighting the ticket. Even if the charge isn’t thrown out altogether, there’s a chance it will be reduced, meaning you’ll only be subject to paying a fine and won’t have any points added to your license. If you aren’t sure how many demerit points are currently on your record, it’s a good idea to find out. In Ontario, accumulating 15 demerit points can result in license suspension in a fully licensed driver, whereas a novice driver (those with a G1 or G2 license, for example) can have their license suspended with just 9 demerit points. Also, under Ontario law, a novice driver who receives a ticket for driving more than 49 km over the speed limit could face an automatic 30-day suspension of his license.
Once you have asked and answered all of these questions, you may decide that you want to fight the speeding ticket. If you do, it’s a good idea to find a traffic ticket expert such as hwylegal.com to help you navigate the process. They have the experience and the legal knowledge necessary to help you present your best case in traffic court so that your ticket may be thrown out or reduced, thereby mitigating the effect such a charge might have on your driving record.