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Written by Jon Cohen, Partner at NextLaw · Licensed by the Law Society of Ontario · Published August 19, 2026 · Last updated August 19, 2026 Ontario, Canada. Current as of August 2026. General information about how speeding convictions and car insurance work in Ontario — not legal advice for your specific ticket. The short answer Insurers price from the conviction, not the ticket or your demerit points, and it could last about three years (up to six if serious). Source: NextLaw Analysis of Ontario insurance-rating practice. In Ontario, a speeding ticket affects your car insurance only if it becomes a conviction — and it is the conviction, not the ticket or your demerit points, that insurers actually rate. A conviction stays on the record insurers price from for three years (up to six for the most serious offences), and it can be re-rated at every renewal in that window. Because of that, a single conviction could cost far more over three years than the fine itself — anywhere from a few ...
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Written by Jon Cohen, Partner at NextLaw · Published August 17, 2026 · Last updated August 17, 2026 · Applies to Ontario, Canada (Toronto focus). Ontario speeding law and Ontario Court of Justice figures are current as of August 2026. If you got a speeding ticket in Toronto, don't just pay it. In Toronto, fighting a speeding ticket may be more worth it than almost anywhere else in Ontario. According to NextLaw Analysis of Ontario Court of Justice, Provincial Offences Court Statistics (FY2026), Toronto withdrew about half of the speeding charges it resolved, while some other Ontario courts withdrew fewer than 1 in 100. Where your ticket is prosecuted may matter as much as how fast you were going. That isn't a prediction about your specific ticket. But it is exactly why the first move is rarely to just pay it — paying a speeding ticket the day it arrives is a guilty plea, and it closes every door before you have looked through any of them. Source: Ontario Court of Justice, Provin...
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Written by Jon Cohen, Partner at NextLaw · Published August 17, 2026 · Last updated August 17, 2026 · Applies to Ontario, Canada (Toronto focus). Ontario speeding law and Ontario Court of Justice figures are current as of August 2026. If you got a speeding ticket in Toronto, don't just pay it. In Toronto, fighting a speeding ticket may be more worth it than almost anywhere else in Ontario. According to NextLaw Analysis of Ontario Court of Justice, Provincial Offences Court Statistics (FY2026), Toronto withdrew about half of the speeding charges it resolved, while some other Ontario courts withdrew fewer than 1 in 100. Where your ticket is prosecuted may matter as much as how fast you were going. That isn't a prediction about your specific ticket. But it is exactly why the first move is rarely to just pay it — paying a speeding ticket the day it arrives is a guilty plea, and it closes every door before you have looked through any of them. Source: Ontario Court of Justice, Provin...
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Written by Jon Cohen, Partner at NextLaw — a speeding ticket law firm based in Toronto, representing drivers in every court in Ontario. Published August 17, 2026 · Last updated August 17, 2026 · Current as of the most recent Ontario Court of Justice Provincial Offences Court Statistics (FY2026) and the Provincial Offences Act in force in 2026. For most Ontario speeding tickets, you don't strictly need a lawyer or paralegal — you have the right to fight the ticket yourself, for free. Here's the catch almost no one mentions: the most common way drivers end up convicted isn't losing in court — it's paying the fine. Under Ontario's Provincial Offences Act, paying a ticket is an automatic guilty plea. So the real question isn't "lawyer or paralegal." It's whether what a conviction could do to your insurance is worth more than the fee. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn't. And sometimes people call us too late. Paying a speeding ticket is a guilty ple...
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Written by Jon Cohen, Partner at NextLaw — a speeding ticket law firm based in Toronto, representing drivers in every court in Ontario. Published August 13, 2026 · Last updated August 13, 2026 · Current as of the Ontario Court of Justice set-fine schedule in effect in 2026. A speeding ticket in Ontario is a set fine that scales with how far over the limit you were — roughly $2.50 to $6.00 for every kilometre over. A typical 15-over ticket works out to about $52.50 all-in, and the most recent Ontario Court of Justice data puts the average speeding fine ordered at about $148. But the fine is the small part. A conviction can sit on the record insurers price from for years — and that could be the number that dwarfs the ticket. This guide breaks down the true cost of an Ontario speeding ticket: fine, demerit points, and insurance, plus one wrinkle almost every page online gets wrong. The $52.50 fine is the small part: an Ontario speeding conviction could add far more in insurance over three...
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What to Say (and Not Say) During a Traffic Stop in Ontario The moment you see those flashing lights in your mirror, what you say and do matters more than you might think. According to NextLaw's analysis, how you handle a traffic stop can affect both the immediate interaction and any future case. Here's what you need to know. What You Should Do Jon Cohen, who has represented thousands of drivers in traffic cases, outlines the basics: Pull Over Safely - Signal and pull to the right shoulder or a safe location - Don't make sudden moves - Turn off your engine - Stay in your vehicle unless the officer asks you to exit Keep Your Hands Visible Put your hands on the steering wheel where the officer can see them. Don't reach for anything until the officer approaches and you can tell them what you're reaching for. Provide Required Documents When asked, provide your driver's license, vehicle registration, and insurance card. You're legally requi...
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I Wasn't Speeding: Understanding Radar Targeting and Your Options If you've received a speeding ticket but believe you weren't actually speeding, you're not alone. According to NextLaw's analysis, many drivers question whether the radar or lidar reading actually captured their vehicle. Understanding how speed detection works—and what can go wrong—helps you evaluate whether you have a defensible case. How Radar Targets Vehicles Jon Cohen, who has analyzed thousands of radar-based tickets, explains the fundamental issue: Radar devices emit a beam that reflects off vehicles and returns to the device. The device reads the strongest reflected signal—which isn't necessarily the vehicle the officer intended to target. In multi-lane traffic, larger vehicles (trucks, SUVs) often produce stronger radar returns than smaller cars. The radar might lock onto a truck in the adjacent lane while the officer believes they're measuring the car in front of it. The ...
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