| MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
| Q |
: |
How long do demerit points stay on my record? |
| A |
: |
2 years from the date of the offence. |
| Q |
: |
Do I have to go to court? |
| A |
: |
If your ticket was for speeding, then the majority of times; NO, your attendance at court is not required. However, for the rest of the charges, you may be required to attend, depending on your particular circumstances. |
| Q |
: |
Where on the ticket does it say how many demerit points I will get? |
| A |
: |
Nowhere. The demerit points are not assessed by the courts. They are assessed by the Ministry of Transportation. When the Ministry of Transportation receives information from the courts indicating a conviction, they then attach that conviction to your license and assess any demerit points that correspond with the charge that you have been convicted of. For list of demerit points click on “Demerit Points” from the home page |
| Q |
: |
Why should I pay someone more money to go to court for me than the amount of the fine? |
| A |
: |
The fine is usually the least of your concerns. The cost of lost income from having your license suspended and the monetary increases in your insurance premiums as a result of convictions on your driving record can be very costly, especially since insurance companies look back for at least three (3) years for convictions when they assess your policy. |
| Q |
: |
Does the Police officer have to show me the radar readout? |
| A |
: |
No. The officer can show you the readout at his/her discretion. They do not have to show you. |
| Q |
: |
If the Officer gets the plate number wrong, will the charge be thrown out? |
| A |
: |
No. A lot (not everything) of the information on the ticket can be amended to the correct information by the court if the information that is initially entered by the Officer is wrong. |
