Guide To Speeding Fines in New Brunswick
Driving in New Brunswick happens to be a pleasurable experience as long as you respect speed limits on the road. However, there might be emergent situations when you may resort to speeding.
How about dealing with a situation where you must rush to the hospital or an examination hall? The last thing you would anticipate is getting a speeding ticket. It’s not the fine that would bother you much. Drivers are more concerned about the increased car insurance premiums as a result of speeding tickets.
So, how do you plan to deal with speeding fines in New Brunswick? First, you would like to approach insurance brokers like Surex. With professional support, you can find affordable insurance policies after receiving the ticket.
What is the fine for speeding in New Brunswick?
Speeding is a major reason for accidents in New Brunswick. This explains why the law enforcement department in this province has framed strict norms to curb speeding. Based on the number of kilometres by which you exceed the permitted speed limit, the penalty varies. Apart from a fine starting from $500, you can get three to six demerit points. This would tarnish your driving record, leading to increased insurance premiums.
Here are the number of New Brunswick speeding ticket points you may receive based on the speed range by which you exceed the permissible limit.
- Exceeding permitted speed by 1 to 15 Kmph: No demerit points
- Exceeding permitted speed by 16 to 29 Kmph: 3 demerit points
- Exceeding permitted speed by 30 to 49 Kmph: 4 demerit points
- Exceeding permitted speed by more than 50 Kmph: 6 demerit points along with the suspension of your license.
Moreover, if you exceed the permitted speed limit by more than 50 Kmph, you might be booked for stunt driving or racing under the Highway Traffic Act Section 172. Remember, the fine for stunt driving or racing in Canada can be quite high, ranging between $2,000 and $10,000.
Impact of speeding ticket on insurance premiums
Following the conviction, a speeding ticket may haunt your driving record for up to three years. While you might think that shelling out a one-time fine might not hurt your wallet, the revised insurance rates can drain your finances.
For the next three years, you need to pay a higher premium. Besides, if you happen to accumulate too many demerit points, you can get your driving license suspended. Insurance companies perceive drivers with speeding tickets to have a high-risk profile. Naturally, they would spike your premiums to remain on the safer end.
Moreover, if you happen to be a young driver, you might already be paying a high premium for insuring your car. Would it be logical to break the bank by resorting to speeding? However, if you land up in this unfortunate mess, reputed insurance brokers can help you find a relatively cheaper policy.
Should you fight a traffic ticket in New Brunswick?
At times, you might be speeding just marginally higher than the permitted limit. If the officer turns out to be unempathetic, you may get a traffic ticket. In these situations, you may decide to move to the court and fight the ticket. Here’s why you should fight it legally when you are confident that you haven’t exceeded the eligible speed limit by more than 15 Kmph.
- In case you genuinely exceeded the speed limit by a sizable margin recently, you might already have some demerit points on your record. Now, getting a new ticket might lead to the suspension of your driving license.
- Unless you fight the ticket, you might be paying a higher insurance premium for the next three to four years. Fighting the case legally and dodging the demerit points might be financially more viable.
- Drivers engaged in their profession with a commercial driver’s license might take a blow on their employment with too many demerit points.
- Failing to pay the New Brunswick speeding fines would attract additional fines from the court. This would financially weigh heavy on your pockets.
- Under extreme conditions, you might continue driving even after getting your license suspended due to speeding. This would be counted as a crime and could lead to imprisonment.
- Moreover, the insurer won’t cover damages if you land up in an accident while having your license suspended.
How to fight a traffic ticket in New Brunswick
Well, your heart might sink at the thought of showing up at the court to fight a speeding ticket. However, there’s a good chance on your end to win the case. Here’s how you should fight your traffic ticket in court.
1. Show up to court
In the first place, show up in court. The police officer issuing the ticket might fail to show up due to some engagements, vacation, or sickness. If your case wasn’t too serious, you automatically get an edge in the case.
2. Request disclosure
File for disclosure after you get the letter mentioning the court date. This implies that the police officer needs to present the notes to the offender before the hearing. While some officers are pretty good at taking notes, others are not. Now, if the notes turn out to be inconsistent considering the infraction, the errors might help you win the case.
3. Pay the fine
In the worst case, you should pay the speeding fines in New Brunswick. If you are confident that you have been exceeding the permitted speed limit significantly, don’t waste your time and money fighting the case.
Pay the fine on the spot and leave the case. If the officer is sympathetic, you can avoid getting the demerit points.
Guide To Speeding Fines in New Brunswick — Endnote
If you are an inexperienced driver or have a bad habit of speeding, you might already have accumulated too many demerit points. Now that your insurance premiums are at risk, you must seek a trusted broker to bail you out. Reach out to the insurance advisors at an online brokerage where the professionals can help you find an affordable policy.
So, even if you have speeding tickets under your name, you can keep your premiums manageable. By the time the red flags disappear from your driving record, adopt defensive driving habits and adhere to the permissible speed limit on the road.
