Regardless if you’re driving on a highway or waiting for the green light somewhere, officers can give you a distracted driving ticket either way.
How can you avoid getting a ticket for distracted driving?
The most common penalties for distracted driving are related to the use of hand-held devices, like your phone. By the way, even holding your phone while driving is against the law. So, the best way to avoid getting a distracted driving ticket is to make sure your phone is out of reach.
You can use hands-free devices like one of those Bluetooth transmitters, as long as you still focus on the road. But, it should be used with caution. Or you can use a cell phone car mount, to keep your device secure while driving.
It’s also a valuable idea to keep your phone on silent mode (“do not disturb” mode) or deactivate all notifications before you get behind the wheel.
If you need to check your phone, answer a call or do any of the other distracting activities, it’s best to, first, park somewhere safe. It will save money, and it will be a safer choice for everyone, including you.
What are the penalties for distracted driving?
If you get convicted of distracted driving in Ontario, and you have a licence from A to G, you’ll get a fine that can range from $490, up to $1000 and three demerit points.
For novice drivers, the legislation is a bit different. The fines will be the same if you hold a G1, G2, M1 or M2 licence but, instead of demerit points, you’ll receive:
- 30-day suspension of your licence, if it’s your first conviction
- 90-day suspension of your licence, if it’s your second conviction
- Cancellation of your licence and loss of your Graduate Licensing System (GLS), if it’s your third conviction.
If you lose your GLS, you’ll need to redo the program to get your licence back.
Distracted driving can lead to more charges
Depending on the situation, a distracted driving charge could lead to others, more severe charges. If a distraction leads to the possible endangerment or harm of other people, you could face a careless driving conviction.
With a careless driving charge, you could receive:
- Fines from $490 up to $2000
- 6 demerit points
- Jail term of 6 months
- Licence suspension for 2 years
- Increased insurance rates
Click here to learn more about Careless Driving.
Or worse, you could be convicted for dangerous driving, which is a criminal offence. You could end up with a criminal record, more substantial penalties, and longer jail terms.
What can you do if you get a charged for distracted driving?
When it comes to traffic tickets, the situations are never the same, even though they are represented as such by law. In other words, each case is unique. Your options are:
- Accept the charge and the consequences
- Fight the ticket to try and get the charges reduced or dropped
Demerit points can increase your insurance rates. Depending on how many points you have, there could be other serious consequences. So, if you believe that the police officer made a mistake, you should fight it.
How can you fight a distracted driving ticket?
The first step, before fighting the ticket is to figure out if it’s really worth it. It’s hard to do so on your own. The best way to decide whether to fight a ticket or not is to get someone else’s input.
Here are some great news, our team of expert Traffic Ticket Agents can help with that for free. So, get in touch with our agents, if you got a distracted driving ticket. Tell them what happened and they will give you some advice on what to do next.
Then, you’ll plead not guilty in court and build your defense upon any evidence you can present. Or you can try and get the charges reduced. Either way, fighting the ticket and winning or at least reducing the charges, can help you keep your current insurance rates.
With the proper team, you could get a better outcome than expected. Contact Ticket Defenders today for a free consultation.