TTAS

Because fines for a ticket when convicted in Ontario for stunt driving has multiplied tenfold in a single year. The minimum fine for a ticket has increased from $200 to $2,000. The maximum fine for a ticket has increased from $1,000 to $10,000, upon conviction for street racing, making it the highest penalty in Canada. Ontario has increased ticket fines dramatically so as to send a clear message; Ontario will not tolerate stunt driving and will issue hefty fines when convicted of stunt driving. In addition to the hefty fines, the maximum licence suspension, for a first time offender, is 2 years.

Note; if you receive a second ticket for stunt driving, within 10 years from the first stunt driving infraction, the courts in Ontario can impose a driver licence suspension for up to 10 years.

As you can see their message is clear, stunt driving in Ontario will not be tolerated.

BUT, what is stunt driving?

Stunt driving includes any activity where one or more persons engage in any of the following driving behaviours:

• Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to lift some or all of its tires from the surface of the highway, including driving a motorcycle with only one wheel in contact with the ground, but not including the use of lift axles on commercial motor vehicles.
• Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to cause some or all of its tires to lose traction with the surface of the highway while turning.
• Driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to spin it or cause it to circle, without maintaining control over it.
• Driving two or more motor vehicles side by side or in proximity to each other, where one of the motor vehicles occupies a lane of traffic or other portion of the highway intended for use by oncoming traffic for a period of time that is longer than is reasonably required to pass another motor vehicle.
• Driving a motor vehicle with a person in the trunk of the motor vehicle.
• Driving a motor vehicle while the driver is not sitting in the driver’s seat.
• Driving a motor vehicle at a rate of speed that is 50 kilometres per hour or more over the speed limit.
• Driving a motor vehicle without due care and attention, without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway or in a manner that may endanger any person by, driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to prevent another vehicle from passing, or stopping or slowing down a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates the driver’s sole intention in stopping or slowing down is to interfere with the movement of another vehicle by cutting off its passage on the highway or to cause another vehicle to stop or slow down in circumstances where the other vehicle would not ordinarily do so, or driving a motor vehicle in a manner that indicates an intention to drive, without justification, as close as possible to another vehicle, pedestrian or fixed object on or near the highway, or making a left turn where, the driver is stopped at an intersection controlled by a traffic control signal system in response to a circular red indication; and at least one vehicle facing the opposite direction is similarly stopped in response to a circular red indication; and the driver executes the left turn immediately before or after the system shows only a circular green indication in both directions and in a manner that indicates an intention to complete or attempt to complete the left turn before the vehicle facing the opposite direction is able to proceed straight through the intersection in response to the circular green indication facing that vehicle.

Know this, in Ontario, the Act also bans driving a motor vehicle on a highway with a connected nitrous oxide system. Some street racers use nitrous oxide to enhance the acceleration capabilities of their vehicles. If caught a ticket will be issued and you will be facing steep fines.

Ontario has adopted Bill 203, which set those high ticket prices in order to decrease stunt driving on Ontario roads but also creates escalating sanctions for repeat drinking drivers with Blood Alcohol Concentration measuring 0.05 to 0.08.

In Ontario, is just hiring any licensed paralegal/lawyer the best solution to defending a speeding ticket? Maybe not … but, hiring a licensed paralegal/lawyer in Ontario who specializis in defending a speeding ticket considerably increases your chances of winning.

Is it wise to fight a speeding ticket when a paralegal/lawyer will charge you at least $500 to defend you? In Ontario, contesting a speeding ticket and losing can raise your insurance premium up to $5000 a year and in some cases even lead to a suspension of your driver’s licence. So, should you pay $500 to someone who specializes in defending speeding tickets? You bet.

Hiring such a paralegal/lawyer makes sense when contesting a speeding ticket.

Such paralegals/lawyers have the acquired experience in defending a speeding ticket and also have a thorough understanding of the Ontario Judicial System. This paralegal/lawyer knows exactly how to prepare a case.

What does such a paralegal/lawyer know that a non-specialized paralegal/lawyer may be missing? For example, someone who specializes in defending speeding tickets has a deep knowledge of how, in Ontario, speed is measured and the process by which a speeding ticket is issued. The other paralegal/lawyer may not…

Someone who specializes in defending speeding tickets also knows the weaknesses and the strengths of each apparatus used, in Ontario by the various law enforcement agencies, in measuring the speed of moving motor vehicles which is the basis for the issuing of the speeding ticket. The ‘other’ paralegal/lawyer…well…

I believe that there is no better way of increasing you chances of winning in Ontario when contesting a speeding ticket, than by hiring someone who specializes in defending speeding tickets in Ontario, and who specializes in Motor Vehicle Law and the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario.