Red Light Camera Ticket - To Fight Or To Plead???

Hey Guys,

I am in the exact same situation as traffic man, and I feel a lot more informed because of this post. So, thanks to both of you.

My situation is the same. I received my notice in the mail yesterday for a ridiculous amount of $325.00 for a 0.4 second infraction.

I'm not sure if I should fight the ticket or not... I crossed the intersection with caution, 10 km below the limit since it had finished raining and the road was wet. Not sure if that is a valid point.

What do you guys think? Should I plea guilty with explanation and try to lower the fine? OR, plead not guilty and try my luck with the JP? Any advice will be helpful and appreciated. Thanks.

Just a quick note: This thread was originally tacked on to another Red Light Camera offence thread. I split it off so that there is a clear, distinct thread for it.

patrickgalo wrote:I'm not sure if I should fight the ticket or not... I crossed the intersection with caution, 10 km below the limit since it had finished raining and the road was wet. Not sure if that is a valid point.

That defence is only valid if you disobeyed an amber light, not a red light. An amber light you could argue that the road was too slippery/wet, but not the red. You could set up a trial and then offer to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced fine, but unless there is some sort of technicality (e.g. incorrect form, etc) then this charge is difficult to beat. However, the good thing is that there are no demerit points or insurance increase as a result of being convicted of an offence recorded by a red light camera.

I just went to the JP today and got my fine reduced to $125, so it doesn't hurt to try. Just be calm and explain your situation.

Good luck!

Thanks for the update - that is useful information!

Thanks for the info and advice guys. I'm going to meet the JP next Thursday.

Hi,

I got the same ticket recently (red light camera) . I went to court and request a First Attendance Meeting with the prosecutor but they sent me a letter saying " The original certificate of offence was not filed with this office by the issuing enforcement agency." so they couldn't arrange the meeting for me.

All i want to do is to meet with the JP or prosecutor to reduce my charge from $325. How do i proceed from here???