While in Ontario to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, you received a ticket for speeding.
The incident put a damper on your weekend away, and then a friend told you that getting a traffic ticket in Canada can affect your driving record in New York. Is this true?
About speeding
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding has played a role in more than one-third of all traffic fatalities during the past two decades, and then some. Speeding often occurs when the driver is either making an escape from frustratingly slow-moving traffic or when he or she is running late for a meeting, an appointment or an important engagement. However, speeding not only endangers the driver, it can also prove devastating for nearby motorists, bicyclists or pedestrians.
The New York point system
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is responsible for assigning points to driving records. With regard to speeding, the number of points depends on miles per hour over the posted limit. For example, if the ticket you received showed that you were going up to 10 mph over the speed limit, the DMV would add 3 points to your record. The greater the violation, the greater the number of points.
Out-of-state tickets
The DMV does not add points to your driving record if convicted of a traffic violation outside of New York State—with two exceptions: Quebec and Ontario, Canada. There are reciprocal agreements in place with these two provinces. Therefore, the speeding ticket you received while seeing Niagara Falls from the Canadian side can translate to points on your New York driving record. However, there must first be a conviction and you may find it worthwhile to fight the charge.