We’ve been representing clients for over 2 decades and over this time have had the same question over and over.
“Why fight my ticket?”
The primary reasons are simply, to save your points and keep insurance premiums down. Other factors present for individuals who depend on their license for employment such as commercial vehicle drivers, mechanics, delivery drivers, bus drivers etc. Many people are not aware but the maximum points a standard G Class license can accrue is 15 points. At 9 points an individual will be called in for an interview with the Ministry of Transportation, and in the event the appointment is missed, the ministry will suspend the individual’s license until the interview has been completed.
At the interview you will be asked to explain why you feel you should be allowed to keep your driver’s license. One of three things can happen:
- They could give you a warning stating that you can keep your driver’s license however if an interview happens again, they will suspend your license for X amount of time.
- They can put you on a 1-year probation, stating that you cannot get any demerit points during the probationary period or your driver’s license will be suspended.
- They will suspend your driver’s license if the interview does not go well.
For these reasons, it is so important to fight tickets. Why risk the chance of ending up with suspension issues and sky-high insurance rates, often so high its no longer affordable to drive.
A Driver’s license is considered a privilege; not a necessity, and that is why the Ministry of Transportation looks at points very cautiously.
An important note to mention, that we see in many instances, is when people ask the police officer who has pulled them over, how many points the ticket being issued holds. Police Officers may not always provide an accurate answer; perhaps the officer does not fully understand the point system or was informed incorrectly. The importance is to know that points are NOT controlled by the police; ONLY the Ministry of Transportation has the power to govern over the control of demerit points.
With free consultations, we should always be your first point of contact. With a quick call we can let you know your options and explain how any specific ticket will affect your driving record and/or demerit points.
You can always visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/understanding-demerit-points to understand the demerit points system in Ontario.