There are certain commonly accepted ideas about speeding tickets that most people pick up as they go through life and accept as fact. Are radar guns always accurate? Can you go a few km/hr over the speed limit without getting a ticket? Whatever the claim, these speeding ticket myths seem to get passed along without anyone verifying them.
Those myths can have real consequences, though, as speeding tickets can be expensive, and any ticket can affect your insurance premiums. So let’s clear a few things up. Here are five common myths about speeding tickets and the truth behind them.
5 Common Speeding Ticket Myths & Their Truths
Myth 1: “If the officer doesn’t show up in court, the ticket is automatically dropped.”
Reality: This is one of the most common misconceptions about going to court for a speeding ticket. The truth is, it just isn’t that simple, and many tickets are resolved through the Crown prosecutor without the police officer actually attending the court date. Officers may have the option of attending the trial virtually, but the important thing to remember is that the responsibility will lie with the prosecutor to prove your guilt if you contest a speeding ticket.
Their case may be weakened if the police officer isn’t there for your trial date, but you still shouldn’t count on your case being dismissed only because they aren’t there. Preparing is always necessary.
Myth 2: “Radar and laser guns are always accurate.”
Reality: There’s nothing worse than going through your mail and seeing a speeding ticket from a radar or laser gun. It can feel like you’ve got no choice but to pay the fine and accept the demerit points, but that’s just not true.
Radar guns and laser guns are not perfect, and they require regular maintenance and calibration to ensure 100% accuracy. Factors like operator error, improper calibration, and even environmental interference can throw off the readings of radar and laser guns.
Our expert team at We Defend will look at your ticket and see if there’s anything to suggest that there’s reasonable doubt about how the device was used and maintained, which can lead to reduced fines and demerit points.
It’s also true that if you get a speeding ticket and feel like it was inaccurate, you can fight it. It’s important to note that Alberta prosecutors don’t offer fine reductions for caught-on-camera speeding tickets.
Myth 3: “If I was only going a few km/h over, I won’t get a ticket.”
Reality: This myth has caught lots of people off-guard over the years, because the truth is that in Alberta, you can be given a ticket for going even 1 km over the speed limit.
The fines start at $81 and go up with every kilometre/hr you go above the speed limit, and you can be issued two demerit points for going between 1 km/hour and 15 km/hour over the speed limit.
It is true that many officers will allow for some grace, and you may not be given a ticket for going less than 10 km/hour above the speed limit, but that’s not a guarantee. In school zones and construction areas, it’s not at all uncommon for speeding tickets to be given to drivers who are going only a bit faster than the speed limit allows.
Myth 4: “Out-of-province tickets don’t matter.”
Reality: Out-of-province tickets absolutely matter. Why? Because Alberta has reciprocal agreements with other provinces, including B.C. and Saskatchewan, and the demerit points you receive in one province will more often than not appear on your driving record in Alberta.
That can lead to increases in your insurance premiums and even possible license suspensions, so just pretending that you didn’t get a speeding ticket when you were driving through the mountains in B.C. is not a good option for anybody.
Whether you got a speeding ticket in the mail from out-of-province or got pulled over and handed a ticket by a police officer, you should treat them similarly to how you would if the same thing happened in Alberta.
Myth 5: “Paying the ticket is just easier—it’s the same as pleading ‘not guilty.’”
Reality: It’s completely false that paying a speeding ticket is easier. By paying a speeding ticket, you are essentially pleading guilty and accepting the repercussions. Those include:
- Paying the fine that came with the ticket
- Accepting the demerit points, which can lead to a license suspension if you accumulate 15 in a two-year period
- Increases in insurance premiums, which can be even more costly than the initial fine in the long term.
It is almost always worth it to fight speeding tickets. At We Defend, our expert team has a 98% success rate when clients fully engage our services and work from beginning to end.
Even if your speeding ticket isn’t thrown out by a judge, you can still get your fines and demerit points reduced, which will prevent insurance premiums from rising.
Fight Your Speeding Tickets & Win
Speeding tickets can have serious consequences, and it’s almost always worth fighting them. The fines are expensive, the demerit points can lead to license suspensions, and your insurance rates can be affected, too. Fortunately, We Defend is on your side and can help you through every step of the process of fighting your speeding tickets or any other type of traffic ticket.
We understand the process can be intimidating, and speeding tickets are a real concern, so contact us today at (587) 867-5400 or thedefender@shawbiz.ca to get started.
FAQs About Speeding Tickets
Do the police really have speeding ticket quotas?
A report from 2022 indicated that the Calgary Police Service had instructed patrol and traffic unit officers to issue a “minimum average” of one ticket and 10 tickets per shift, so it has been a priority to increase ticketing.
Should I get an attorney for a simple traffic ticket?
Getting a lawyer is generally not necessary for minor traffic tickets, as the cost of hiring an attorney can be prohibitive. However, it’s always worth fighting tickets and trying to get fines and demerit points reduced. We Defend offers free consultations. Call us today for yours.