Lane Change Tickets in Toronto, Ontario

You see the turn that you need to make and absentmindedly make a lane change without signaling to other drivers. Even if you do not cause an accident, this action can lead to lane change tickets in Toronto and throughout Ontario.

Even extremely careful drivers are not perfect and can find themselves faced with unsafe lane change, improper left turn, or failure to signal lane change tickets. You may even feel that you did signal and behaved properly, while law enforcement officials see the circumstances differently. Our paralegal team can provide you with traffic ticket legal representation to ensure that you have a strong defense.

Understanding Unsafe Lane Change Ontario Law

Unsafe lane changes are covered under section 154(1a) of the Highway Traffic Act of Ontario. The law states that drivers shall remain within a single lane until the driver has determined that a lane change can be made safely.

Similar to many other areas of traffic law, this rule leaves much room for interpretation. A driver may feel that he has reasonably checked to ensure that a lane change can be made completely safely, while other drivers may have differing opinions. This is why the services of a traffic lawyer can be very beneficial.

Punishment for Unsafe Lane Changes

If you do receive a ticket for an unsafe lane change in Ontario, you face the following penalties:

• Two or three demerit points are added to your driver’s license
• A fine of $85 in addition to a government victim surcharge

These penalties may seem minimal, but can have a significant impact on your privilege to operate a vehicle in the future. If you accumulate fifteen or more demerit points on your license, your license is suspended for a minimum of thirty days.

Another consequence of having an unsafe lane change ticket on your driving record is that insurance companies will likely increase your rates. You do not want auto insurance companies to view you as an unsafe driver, as this indicates that you are a higher risk customer.

Fighting Traffic Tickets in Ontario

Whether you have been ticketed for changing lanes improperly, failing to signal, an improper left turn, or other similar violations, our traffic ticket lawyers can help you fight these charges.

There are many factors to take into consideration when building a defense. The road that you were traveling may have unclear or hidden signage that contributed to your error, other drivers may have affected your decision-making process, or you may not have actually made any driving mistakes and the circumstance is a misunderstanding.

Our job is to perform all of the investigating necessary to uncover all of these factors and more. We are then able to present every aspect of your case to build a strong legal defense for you. With our help, your Toronto unsafe lane change ticket could be dismissed completely or your fine or demerit points could be decreased. We want to help you keep your license, reduce your fines, and protect your right to drive in Toronto.

Improper or Prohibited Turn (Municipal by-law s. 144. 9)

The Law in Ontario (Right-hand Turns)

HTA s.142.2

Where a Driver or operator of a vehicle intends to turn to the right into an intersecting highway, he or she shall, where the highway on which he or she is driving has marked lanes for traffic, approach the intersection within the right-hand lane or, where it has no such marked lanes, by keeping immediately to the left of the right curb or edge of the roadway and he or she shall make the right turn by entering the right-hand lane of the intersecting highway where the lane is marked or, where no such lane is marked, by keeping immediately to the left of the right curb or edge of the roadway being entered.

The Law in Ontario (Left-hand Turns)

HTA s.142.6

Where a Driver or operator of a vehicle intends to turn to the left into an intersecting highway, he or she shall, where the highway on which he or she is driving has marked lanes for traffic, approach the intersection within the left-hand lane provided for the use of traffic moving in the direction in which his or her vehicle is proceeding or, where it has no such marked lanes, by keeping immediately to the right of the centre line of the highway and he or she shall make the left turn by entering the intersection to the right of the centre line or its extension and by leaving the intersection in the left-hand lane provided for the use of traffic moving in the direction in which his or her vehicle is proceeding where lane is marked or, where no such lane is marked, by passing immediately to the right of the centre of the intersecting highway.