What Canadian Province Is Ranked Highest in North America for Speed Traps?

You've been nabbed: You came off the highway, and up a ramp and around a corner, and there was a police officer waving you to the side of the road--you didn't realize the speed you were going while coming off the highway, nor that the limit had dropped significantly along that stretch of road. This is called a "speed trap." It is such a growing issue in Ontario that it is drawing attention from the likes of the National Motorists Association, with one of its members, John Bowman, claiming in a recent Globe and Mail article that it is by definition, "predatory and abusive." Similarly, an article in the Toronto Star calls speed limits, and the traps that catch motorists in the act of breaching them, "cash grabs," noting Mississauga as one of the top cities in North America for speed traps, coming in 5th.

The counter move to the claims by the NMA is that Ontario, in turn, has some of the safest roads in Ontario. And the Ministry of Transportation holds that increases in the speed limits indeed cause more crashes and more fatalities.

With enough said about the realities and legalities of speed traps, here are some tips for avoiding them on the highways today.

• Don't Speed: easy enough, but harder than it actually sounds, especially when you're late for a meeting, or the limit just doesn't feel right to you. If you are speeding, which is not condoned or justified on this blog, then be aware of possible traps at the bottom of hills or rounding curves.

• Get apps that flag you to radar, or check out sites like speed exchange that helps you find the speed traps along your route.

• Buy a Radar Detector: This is a real cat-and-mouse game, but they are becoming more sophisticated. You can buy a good middle of the road one that works fine, or one that is more expensive.

• Know the road Your On: The best tool is simply common knowledge of the roads you drive on, the various routes it takes and where speed traps may be placed. It's important to know the road and keep inside the speed limit to avoid speed traps. 

Do your best to keep watch at all times of radar, and stay within the speed limit. Knowing the roads will sure help. If you happen to be pulled over, be cordial, accept the ticket, and, if need be, fight it in court, rather than get nasty with the officer.