If you receive a traffic ticket, ignoring it is your worst option.
We can work to protect your record, minimize penalties, and fight for fair outcomes, whether your ticket is for:
- Speeding,
- Careless driving,
- Stunt driving,
- Distracted driving,
- Driving under suspension,
- Failing to remain at an accident, or
- Another Highway Traffic Act offence.
These offences are not in the Criminal Code. However, our experience in over 1,000 criminal cases, including many involving criminal driving, can help you. We can often work to challenge your fine, suspension, or other penalty.
Speak to us as early as possible in your case.
What should you do next if you’ve received a traffic ticket?
Take these three steps:
- Do not simply pay the fine without understanding the full consequences. Some tickets carry consequences far beyond the dollar amount on the page.
- Keep any evidence that could support your side. Save dashcam footage, keep repair records, and get witness details.
- Speak with a lawyer. You may be able to challenge the ticket before your court date. Many of these cases resolve before trial.
Before you respond to the charge on your own, check with a lawyer about your options.
Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
What counts as a traffic or bylaw offence?
Traffic and bylaw offences include a variety of provincial and municipal matters. The main traffic offences that we handle are:
| OFFENCE | WHAT IT MEANS | TYPICAL PENALTY |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding (s.128) | Driving faster than the posted limit. | Fine based on speed, 3 to 6 demerit points |
| Careless driving (s.130) | Driving without proper care, or without thinking about other people on the road. | $400 to $2,000 fine, up to 6 months in jail, 6 demerit points |
| Stunt driving or racing (s.172) | Extreme speeding, racing, or specific risky moves like donuts. | $2,000 to $10,000 fine, licence suspension, up to 6 months in jail |
| Distracted driving (s.78.1) | Holding or using a phone or other device while driving. | Fine and demerit points, both rising for repeat offences |
| Driving under suspension (s.53) | Driving while your licence is suspended. | Fine, and possible jail time |
| Failing to remain at an accident (s.200) | Leaving the scene without stopping to give your information. | $400 to $2,000 fine, up to 6 months in jail, 7 demerit points |
This isn’t every offence under the Highway Traffic Act, but it covers the ones we’re asked about most often in Toronto.
Ordinary speeding brings demerit points and a fine. The fine depends on how far over the limit you were. Careless driving is more serious. It carries a fine of up to $2,000, 6 demerit points, and up to 6 months in jail, though jail time is rare.
Stunt driving is the most serious offence in this group, with lengthy licence suspensions handed out:
- 1st offence: 1 to 3 years.
- 2nd offence: 3 to 10 years.
- 3rd offence: Indefinite.
- 4th offence within 10 years: Permanent.
As of January 1, 2026, these suspensions apply automatically on conviction, along with a fine of $2,000 to $10,000. Roadside penalties apply right away, too. Before you’re even convicted of anything, you’ll receive a 30-day licence suspension and a 14-day vehicle impound.
What are the long-term consequences of a stunt driving conviction?
A careless or stunt-driving conviction doesn’t just result in legal penalties. It can significantly raise your insurance premiums, too. In some cases, you may struggle to get insurance at all.
How can a Strategic Criminal Defence lawyer help you?
Whether you receive a speeding ticket or are facing a more serious driving violation, our lawyers can often take up your case.
Here are some of the things we can do to help you:
- Check your ticket for mistakes.
- Talk to the prosecutors about lowering your fines or charges.
- Attend traffic court for you, usually without you having to be there.
- Ask police officers about what they saw during the hearing.
- Question the accuracy of speed detection devices.
- Argue to protect your Charter rights when they are violated.
- Get important evidence for technical defences, such as police dashcam footage or video from the scene.
Most people are not arrested or held in custody over a traffic or bylaw charge. Serious cases, like stunt driving, still start with a roadside stop.
Our lawyers know how to navigate the complicated rules of traffic court, including the all-important deadlines. We understand from the information available whether the Crown can actually prove the charge as written. We can advise whether a reduced charge, a withdrawal, or a full defence at trial is your best option.
Which court will deal with your case?
The Ontario Court of Justice handles traffic and bylaw charges. This court has a separate provincial offences division. It sits at locations across Toronto, depending on where police laid the charge. Many cases resolve early, without ever going to trial.
What defences can challenge a traffic or bylaw charge?
Traffic and bylaw cases often turn on technical details.
Common defences include:
- Equipment and calibration issues. Radar and laser devices must be set up correctly. The officer must be trained to use them.
- Disclosure problems. If the Crown can’t produce the officer’s notes or the device’s records, the charge may be dropped.
- Identity. Sometimes, whether you were the one actually driving is genuinely in question.
- Necessity. In rare cases, a short emergency can excuse conduct that would otherwise be an offence.
Testimonials
While past results do not guarantee future outcomes, here’s what some of our recent clients have said about us:
P.M.
M.A.
R.Z.
