Speeding Tickets

Speeding tickets are very costly to the majority of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario's drivers. They are not only costly in the immediate terms of the fines that are associated with the speed but you will take a hit in the pocket book when your insurance renewal is due. The insurance companies every year pay a nominal fee to the Ministry of Transport for access to your driving history, so as to inquire as to wherher you have been a good driver or a bad one. Most insurancce companies conduct a check of your driving history every two years. If there are any convictions, they will use the conviction for the next three (3) years to justify their fees to you the customer. 

The definition of speeding is defined as travelling at a rate of speed greater than the posted speed limit on highways, roadways and streets as defined in the Highway Traffic Act (HTA). Speeding under the HTA is a regulatory offence and should not be considered a criminal offence. However depending on the cicumstances speeeding can lead to a more serious charges under the Criminla Code of Canada. With charges such as Dangeroues and/or criminal negligence driving.

Most driver's in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario are under the illusion that the police officer has a duty to show them the speed that the driver was travelling at. The officer is under no legal requirement to to do so. There are also safety concerns involving both the police offcer and the driver involved in allowing the driver to see the speed measuring device. 

One of the most stated version of evemts leading up to and receiving a speeding ticket is the complaint that everyone else was going faster than I was travelling and/or I was pulled out of a lineup of cars going the in the same direction that I was at the same speed. This may be true, but it becomes irrevelant at this time. At this point you have sevearl options on the back of your ticket. At Daniel Pattullo Paralegal Services we recommend that you exercise Option 3 by entering a NOT GUILTY plea and submit your ticket for trial. Have an experienced Traffic Court Agent from Daniel Pattullo Paralegal Servcies attend court on your behalf and by conducting a cross examination of the police officer whether there is reasonalble doubt as to which vehicle caused the speed measuring device reading.

We at Daniel Pattullo Paralegal Services receive Frequently Ask Questions (FAQ's) from clients regarding errors on their speeding tickets. These questions range from minor errors to fatal errors. In the event of minor errors the Court will allow them to be correctd at the time of the trial. They range from incorrect addresses, wrong description of your vehicle colour, or misspelled name. If there are serious errors on the ticket such as the wrong statute, wrong site of the infraction and wrong section should result in the ticket being dismissed. However sometinmes the Courts miss these errors and therefore we recommend allowing an experience Traffic Court Agents attend Court on your behalf to raise these concerns on your behalf.

Another of the FAQ's is what will happen if I ignore the ticket. There will be a conviction registered against your driving license in your absence. You may be assess court costs as well as the set fine in addition to being assess demerit points by the Ministry of Transport. If you ignore the paying the fine your license will be suspended until you pay the fine and any further cost associated with the suspension, i.e. re-instatement fees ($150.00).    

Are speeding charges beatable? Yes, they are under the right circumstances. The constable in the performance of his duties as a traffic officer has to established elements of the offence and prove that the radar was in proper working order. Each circumstance is different and that is why, we at Daniel Pattullo Paralegal Services recommend  that you use our services to fight these charges as our agents will be able to determine if the constable was correct in issuing you a ticket and whether the Crown prosecutor is able to obtain a conviction against you.