How to avoid the most common traffic tickets

Tips for avoiding common traffic tickets

Few things are more frustrating than getting pulled over for a traffic violation when you’re trying to get somewhere. Not only is it an added expense, but your insurance could also go up as a result.
If you’ve recently received a ticket and are looking for ways to lower the odds of getting another one in the near future, read ahead:

Buckle up

As a driver, not only are you responsible for ensuring you wear a seat belt, but you also need to make sure that everyone under the age of 16 is wearing one too. Drivers over the age of 16 are responsible for doing up their own seat belt.
Having a broken seat belt is no excuse, and you can still be fined for having one, even if it’s not in use. At the end of the day, you should always buckle up.

Slow down

It should come as little surprise, but the easiest way to avoid a ticket is to just slow down. The faster you go, the larger your fine will be, and could negatively affect your insurance rate. While it may be tougher to slow down when you’re in a rush, realize that it’s in your best interest to ease off the pedal.
Not only can you avoid speeding tickets by slowing down, but you’ll also just be a safer driver.

Give way to emergency vehicles

It’s your responsibility as a driver is to ensure emergency vehicles are able to make their way through traffic with ease when their siren is on. Failure to do so could cost you four demerit points.
When you’re on a two-way street, make sure you move to the right as soon as possible. If you’re in the middle of the intersection, go straight through and pull to the right immediately.

Come to a complete stop

Many people have the urge to come to a rolling stop when they’re in a hurry. While this may seem more time efficient, failure to come to a complete stop could result in a fine. Remember that it takes time to come a full stop. If you put on the brakes last minute, you could end up stopping after the stop line.

Look up rules ahead of time

If you’re driving outside of Ontario, it’s important to look up the local traffic laws prior to leaving. While many laws are similar across Canada, you could end up running into different laws if you’re travelling through the United States.

Keep a safe distance

If you want to avoid an accident on your trip, it’s vital that you keep a safe distance between the car in front of you. It’s generally recommended that you keep about a two-second distance, but that should be extended if driving conditions aren’t ideal.