Hi,

So I got my first speeding ticket on highway 89. I knew I was speeding and when the officer asked if it was my record is clean, I told them yes.

I thought I went over the speed limit by 20 km but they showed me the radar and it was 35 km over.

They then told me that since it was my first offense, they put it at 15 km over, so I wouldn't lose any demerit points.

Now the officer was very professional and kind and since it was my fault and I was scared, panicking and shocked, I didn't bothered asking to get off with a warning. or anything or the sort.

So I did some research after I got home and it lead me to this.

The thing is, I don't want to ruin my clean recorded, and raise the insurance, I'm wondering what my others are(if I have any).

If you take the option to fight the ticket, the prosecutor will ask to have the ticket amended back up to the origional speed. If convicted, you will receive 4 points. There are those on this site that will advise you to plead not guilty and request a copy of your disclosure, then post it on this sight, with private info blocked out, so they can have a look at it to see if you have any kind of defence...

So remember that insurance does not care about demerit points. Speeding 15 over and speeding 35 over are the same thing to them, and both may cause your rates to go up the same. With a clean record, 4 demerit points versus 0 demerits is mostly irrelevent and should not be the issue you are concerned with. But the hidden cost of all speeding tickets is the effect on your insurance rates.

As screech says, if you take it to trial and try to fight it and lose, then you will be charged with the full 35 over. But you have nothing to lose though by pleading not guilty, requesting a trial with the officer present, and then requesting disclosure (officers notes). Once you review the notes, you can then still just plead guilty and pay the fine for the 15 over if you want, all the way up to the trial date. But reviewing the notes is crucial to deciding if you have case to fight it or not.

Kk. Thank you for the advice.

I'm also wondering, I'm afraid that if I just pay the fine, when I apply for other jobs, how seriously would it affect my chances of being hired? I know its just one but still, I'm worried.

Since it will be on my record forever...(I've definitely learned my lesson).

A speeding ticket is NOT a criminal offence, so you will NOT have a criminal record. The ticket will show on your driving record though and may affect your insurance. But unless you are applying to a job as a driver of some kind, your driving record would not even come up and is irrelevent.

Sorry, I should have clarified that I meant "Driving record".

But thanks again.

I will be paying the fine, I wanted to know how far this first ticket could go and now I know.