Seat Belt Tickets in Toronto, Ontario

How Seat Belt Tickets Are Given

In most cases, seat belt tickets are issued when a police officer has stopped your vehicle for some other reason. While following you and pulling you over, the officer watches to see if you are moving to conceal any items or if you are putting on your seat belt. Ontario sometimes have safety blitzes in an effort to make drivers more aware of necessary safety precautions. During these blitzes, officers set up on ramps or other highway areas, watching passing vehicles for any passengers not wearing seat belts. Thousands of seat belt tickets may be issued in a manner of days.

Here’s what you need to know:

Seat Belt Ticket Ontario Law and Drivers

HTA s. 106(1)

No Person shall drive on a highway a motor vehicle in which a seat belt assembly required under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada) at the time that the vehicle was manufactured or imported into Canada has been removed, rendered partly or wholly inoperative, modified so as to reduce its effectiveness or is not operating properly through lack of maintenance.

Seat Belt Ticket Ontario Law and Passengers

HTA s. 106(3)

Every person who is at least 16 years old and is a passenger in a motor vehicle on a highway shall,

a) occupy a seating position for which a seat belt assembly has been provided;

b) wear the complete seat belt assembly as required by subsection (5)

Seat Belt Ticket Ontario Law and Young Children

Get Legal Help will assist you with in situations where your young child or passenger has un-fastened their seat-belts without the Driver’s knowledge.

HTA s. 106(4)

Driver to ensure young passenger uses seat belt assembly – No person shall drive on a highway a motor vehicle in which there is a passenger who is under 16 years old unless, a) that passenger, (i)occupies a seating position for which a seat belt assembly has been provided, and (ii) is wearing the complete seat belt assembly as required by subsection (5); or b) that passenger is required by the regulation to be secured by a child seating system or child restraint system, and is so secured.

The Ontario Seat-Belt Ticket Penalty

• 2 Demerit Points

• $200 + Government imposed Surcharge

Forgetting to wear your seat belt even once can seriously impact your driving record. You can receive a seat belt ticket if you are not wearing your seat belt, or if one or your passengers is not wearing his or her seat belt. Paying the fine for the ticket is not your only option if you receive one of these tickets. Consult with Get Legal Help to learn more about how you can fight a seat belt ticket.

Can You Fight a Seat Belt Ticket?

A seat belt conviction often relies upon the police officer’s perception and notes on the traffic stop. Even with detailed notes, it is possible for the officer to be mistaken or not be capable of accurately recalling the events. Our skilled traffic ticket attorneys can use this to help you fight the conviction and potentially have your seat belt ticket dismissed completely. At Get Legal Help, we retain the services of former police officers and prosecutors, as well as traffic ticket lawyers and paralegals. Our experts know the challenges that police officers face when it comes to proving seat belt violations, and we know all of the right questions to ask. Were obstructions blocking the view of the officer? Did you remove your seat belt before the officer approached the car, but after coming to a stop? In addition to looking for legal technicalities that can help with your case, we also study previous seat belt cases to determine which defences are most successful. If any of those defences are relevant to your case, we can then build a strong defence that is accurate for your circumstance and has a high chance of leading to a positive outcome.

Is It Worth It To Fight a Seat Belt Ticket?

While driving without your seatbelt may be a minor driving offence, it is one that can follow you for quite some time. This ticket comes with a fine of $200 or more and two demerit points added to your license. If you have or receive more tickets, and more demerit points, you run the risk of having your license suspended. Even if you do not have any other tickets on your record, this ticket may cause your insurance costs to increase and could make it difficult for you to work with businesses that require you to have a clean driving record. It is worthwhile to at least consult with one of our traffic ticket professional in Toronto before you pay your seat belt ticket.