I recently lost my job, and was going for an interview and was running late. My son just started Kindergarten this week and dropping him off takes a lot of time in the early days. That's why I got delayed and when I saw the traffic on 403, I took the HOV lane to avoid it.

I was a solo driver driving in the HOV lane on Highway 403. I got pulled over by an OPP officer and he gave me a ticket for "Improper use of High Occupancy Vehicle Lane" Sec. 154.1(3)

Is there any way I can fight this ticket and reduce the demerit points?

I do not wish this to affect my insurance. Is there any way to avoid that?

Demerit points don't affect insurance. What does affect it is whether offences are minor, major or serious. I believe HOV violations are minor, but I'm open to being corrected by someone who knows better.

I used to use the 403 daily and was shocked at how many people use that HOV lane solo. We could cure the provincial deficit if that could be enforced more diligently.

HOV occupancy violations are minor convictions for insurance, however if you have other moving violations in the last three years or any at-fault accidents in the last six adding another moving violations, even a minor one, can be the straw that breaks the camel's back in terms of your insurer adding a surcharge or even not renewing the policy,