Should You Pay Your Speeding or Traffic Violation Ticket Online?
For many drivers in British Columbia, paying a speeding or traffic violation ticket online seems like a quick, hassle-free solution. The provincial government has made it easy to pay tickets with just a few clicks, but there’s a serious hidden consequence to that convenience: paying a ticket online is legally the same as pleading guilty to the offence. This seemingly simple step can trigger a cascade of negative impacts on your driving record, insurance, employment opportunities, and even your ability to obtain credit or life insurance.
Paying = Pleading Guilty
When you pay a traffic ticket, you’re legally admitting guilt to the offence, with full acknowledgment of any potential consequences. Many people don’t realise this until it’s too late. The government has streamlined the payment process, and people are often lured into paying without understanding the implications. However, simply paying the ticket seals the offence as a conviction on your driving record, often bringing costly, unexpected repercussions. Once the ticket is paid, reversing that guilty plea is extremely difficult and requires a legal application to the court, supported by evidence in the form of an affidavit. Ultimately, it’s up to the judge’s discretion to decide whether the plea was uninformed and should be undone.
Potential Consequences of a Guilty Plea
Most drivers don’t fully understand the long-term consequences of paying a ticket until after the fact. A paid ticket can lead to:
Increased Insurance Costs: ICBC, British Columbia’s public auto insurer, factors traffic convictions into their rate calculations. A ticket on your record often leads to higher ICBC premiums, resulting in a lasting financial impact.
Driving Prohibitions: For repeat offences or significant infractions, a conviction can lead to driving restrictions or even a prohibition, depending on policies from the Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.
Employment Challenges: If you drive for work, such as for rideshare services like Uber or Lyft, a conviction could jeopardise your job or make you less appealing to potential employers.
Life Insurance & Credit: Surprisingly, your driving record may impact your eligibility or rates for life insurance and credit. Some life insurance companies request a driving history to assess risk, which can influence premiums. Credit applications may also take into account traffic infractions, as a pattern of offences could signal financial risk or irresponsibility.
Legal Implications of Paying Without Consultation
Many people overlook that traffic tickets can be challenged, and the burden of proof is on the Crown or police. They must prove each element of the offence beyond a reasonable doubt, a high legal standard. By paying a ticket, you forfeit any chance to dispute the facts, meaning the ticket becomes an indisputable part of your driving record. This record is permanent and can be cited by authorities in the future, and it could become a costly problem if regulations change down the road.
Consult a Lawyer Before Paying
Before you decide to pay a speeding or traffic violation ticket, consider the benefit of consulting a lawyer. A traffic lawyer can review the ticket, advise you on possible defences, and explain the consequences in detail. Most consultations are free, and they can save you from unknowingly accepting charges that could follow you for years. Consulting a lawyer ensures you make an informed decision, rather than a hasty one, about your driving record.
Don’t Risk Your Driving Record
Before paying any traffic ticket online, contact BC Driving Lawyers. Speaking to a driving lawyer is free and could make all the difference for your driving record and future. Remember, paying a traffic ticket online may seem convenient, but it can lead to unexpected and unintended consequences that are often hard to undo.
Protect yourself and your future by understanding all your options BEFORE paying a traffic ticket online. Call for a free consultation about your traffic ticket.