Red Light Traffic Ticket Ontario

Red Light Traffic Tickets

A red light ticket in Ontario is defined by the Highway Traffic Act in Section 144(18) as follows:

“Every driver approaching a traffic control signal showing a circular red indication and facing the indication shall stop his or her vehicle and shall not proceed until a green indication is shown.”

If you approach a traffic signal and don’t stop before the intersection as required, you’re subject to a ticket for a “fail to stop” and are likely to face penalties and receive a fine for running a red light. You’ll be issued a ticket or summons at the time of the violation, and additional penalties will follow.

Penalties for Disobeying a Red Light

Running a red light in Ontario will require you to appear in court, pay a victim fine surcharge, a $5 court cost, and the fine for the ticket itself. How much is a red light ticket in Ontario going to cost you? You can see the breakdown in the table below:

(Space for table as indicated by client)

You’ll also notice we’ve included demerit points and CVOR (Commercial Vehicle Operators’ Registration) points as a part of the total penalty. An Ontario red light ticket will consist of these licencing penalties for commercial and non-commercial drivers, and you may be subject to insurance penalties as well.

If your offence occurs in a school zone or other community safety zone, it’s considered a more dangerous violation. If this is the case, your red light demerit points and CVOR points will be unaffected, but your fines and other penalties will increase quite a bit given the increased severity of running the red light. 

Below is a breakdown of these increased costs:

If the offence occurred within a community safety zone, such as a school zone, the court fine increases significantly:

If you continue to accumulate demerit points, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) will progressively respond by issuing additional penalties. The MTO will first send a warning letter to inform you of the issues and potential consequences for future infractions. 

Accumulating additional demerit points will then require that you meet with the MTO to review your driving history. Continuing to accrue demerit points beyond this MTO meeting may result in the suspension of your licence.

Where Do Drivers Need to Stop?

To avoid the penalties and fines detailed above, you need to know what is considered running a red light in Ontario. Knowing where to stop your vehicle at a red light is critical, and depending on the specific roadway, there are a few possibilities:

• At the sign or marking on the road indicating a stop is necessary (the stop line);
• Before entering the nearest crosswalk if there is no sign or roadway marking; or
• Immediately before entering the intersection if there is no sign, roadway marking, or crosswalk

You should familiarize yourself with all of these requirements and understand how they apply in different situations. Knowing where to stop at any intersection will help you avoid red light tickets, fines, and penalties altogether.

How to Fight a Red Light Ticket in Ontario?

If you do get a red light ticket, your first option for handling the fines is to pay the red light ticket in Ontario online. Paying the fine can be done through the municipal court office’s website. 

Because of the potential for expensive fines, and more importantly, the penalties included with the charges, many people ask, can you fight a red light ticket in Ontario? Luckily, the process may be easier than you think!

If the police charged you with a failure to stop at a red light, you will either have received a ticket or a court summons with all of your offence information. Depending on how they have charged you, you may need to file your matter with the court, or there may already have a court date set to discuss your violation.

Instead of fighting a red light ticket in Ontario, let us do the work for you! Contact our office as soon as possible after receiving the red light ticket, and our friendly staff will put your mind at ease with our knowledge and experience. 

We will be able to guide you step by step through the next steps involving the court process, and we’ll provide you with the essential information you will need in order to make informed decisions going forward. 

Navigating the legal system can be intimidating, confusing, and time-consuming, so knowing what to expect and how to proceed is critical for adequately fighting the red light ticket.

Dismissing Red Light Tickets

How do you get a red light ticket dismissed?

First, it’s essential to know that a red light ticket in Ontario will not be dismissed if you simply argue that you didn’t commit the violation. Additionally,  fines or penalties won’t be reduced or waived if you simply give reasoning or justification for your failure to stop. 

The resolution requires a proper legal defence, so let a licensed and experienced paralegal from our team represent you and ensure that your legal argument is provided in the strongest and most effective manner possible. 

Many of these cases can be resolved without you ever having to make an appearance in court, so the entire process can be as easy as a simple call to our experienced staff!

OTD Ticket Defenders Legal Services will be happy to provide an initial consultation to review your violation, your case history, and your next steps – reach out to a traffic ticket lawyer on our team today! 

This initial review is risk-free and will be provided at no cost and with no obligation. We will also provide you with the necessary information you need to move forward and assist you however we can.

Our friendly staff can be reached via our toll-free number at 1-844-647-6869, by email at info@otdlegal.ca, or by text at 226-240-2480. You can also submit a consultation request at any time online, and a member of our staff will contact you during our regular business hours to discuss your violation and steps you can take to resolve the violation.