Speeding tickets are sometimes viewed as being mere inconveniences. People might pay a speeding ticket after receiving it in the mail and simply move on, annoyed by the nuisance and the money lost but feeling like they didn’t have many options.
But speeding tickets can have real consequences, and it’s important to know how to fight a speeding ticket. The fines themselves are expensive, while demerit points can impact your driving record and even what you pay for insurance.
So knowing how to fight a speeding ticket in Alberta can make a big difference for drivers—and it doesn’t have to be nearly as difficult as you might think. At We Defend, we help Albertan drivers get out of paying unnecessary fines for speeding tickets and can help keep your driving record clean.
What to Know About Speeding Tickets in Alberta
Speeding tickets in Alberta can cause real headaches, and not just because of the fines that come with them.
While speeding tickets that are issued through photo radar don’t come with demerit points, the same is not true for speeding tickets that are issued by a police officer. In those situations, demerit points come into effect and can impact both your driving record and insurance premiums. How many demerit points you’re penalized depends on how far over the speed limit you’re accused of driving:
- 1-15 km/hour over the speed limit: 2 demerit points
- 16-30 km/hour over the speed limit: 3 demerit points
- 31-50 km/hour over the speed limit: 4 demerit points
- 51+ km/hour over the speed limit: 6 demerit points & license suspension
Demerit points remain on your driving record for two years and can result in a suspended license, while any conviction can seriously affect what you pay for insurance.
Why Fight a Speeding Ticket?
There are reasons to fight speeding tickets in nearly every situation, but the most important reason might be that they can often be wrong. Nobody should accept guilt for a driving violation they didn’t actually commit, and when you pay a speeding ticket, you are admitting that you were in the wrong when you might not have been.
But deciding whether to pay a speeding ticket isn’t just about admitting guilt. There are repercussions for anyone who simply accepts their tickets and pays them, and they can have real consequences. These can include:
- Demerit points: Demerit points can last up to two years and can force drivers to take courses and even have their licenses suspended
- Insurance increases: Insurance will increase their premiums for drivers who accumulate speeding tickets, meaning the cost of a ticket is a lot more than the listed fine.
- License suspension: Losing a license can prevent you from getting to work or dropping your kids off at school, among many other things.
The cost of fighting a speeding ticket with We Defend is considerably less than paying a speeding ticket, especially considering how it will affect your insurance premiums.
How to Fight a Speeding Ticket
The process of fighting a speeding ticket can be intimidating, and there’s no shame in feeling that way. After all, it involves going to court, and that’s not something your average driver does regularly.
But don’t let that scare you off. There are a couple of things to know before you start the process, though, and working with experts like the team at We Defend can help you navigate it much more easily.
Here are some important steps you should take when you choose to fight a speeding ticket:
- Review the ticket
Even drivers who choose to pay their speeding tickets should take time to carefully examine the ticket and see what they’re accused of. But the ticket itself may have inconsistencies and errors that will help your defence.
Elements like an incorrect license plate number can lead to the ticket being dismissed outright, but you should also verify the time, date, and location. If you received a photo radar ticket in the mail, it should have a picture of your vehicle, too.
- Compile evidence
Did you have someone in the car who can act as a witness? Do you have a dash cam?
There are many types of evidence that can support your defence when you choose not to pay a speeding ticket and fight it instead.
- Plead not guilty
Instructions for how to plead not guilty are typically provided on the speeding ticket itself, which should make it relatively straightforward to inform the court of your intention to contest the ticket by pleading not guilty.
This will result in setting up a court date, where you will formally be able to plead not guilty.
- Request disclosure & prepare your defence
At We Defend, we highly recommend requesting that the officer who was on duty disclose all their evidence, including footage and the calibration records for radar and laser measurements, as it’s vital that the equipment that was used was maintained properly and calibrated correctly.
It’s recommended that this be done at least a month prior to your court date, as that allows adequate time for reviewing and analyzing all the evidence to find errors and weaknesses.
- Attend court
On your court date, you’ll want to arrive early and dress formally and respectfully. Evidence from both sides will likely be presented before the judge ultimately makes their verdict.
How We Defend Can Help You Fight a Speeding Ticket
While it’s almost always worth it to fight a speeding ticket, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It takes a lot of time, and an understanding of traffic courts can help with nearly every step of the way.
We Defend’s team has been helping Albertans fight speeding tickets for over two decades.
We’ve helped drivers achieve the best possible outcome in countless situations and can recognize errors and flaws that will help you avoid demerit points, big fines, and increases in your insurance premiums.
You don’t have to figure out how to pay a speeding ticket on your own. We Defend can help you through the process and prevent you from paying a speeding ticket when you don’t need to.
Before You Pay a Speeding Ticket, Contact We Defend
For more than 20 years, We Defend has been representing Albertans who need help with how to fight a speeding ticket. Our team has 80+ years of combined experience!
While it might seem easier to simply pay a speeding ticket and live with the consequences, it can save time and money and protect your driving record.
We Defend offers free consultations and 365 days-a-year service, so call (587)806-3586 or use our contact form to start fighting your speeding ticket today.