Highway Safety Code: a penal offence, not a criminal one
Quebec's Highway Safety Code (HSC) is a provincial statute. The offences it contains — speeding, failing to stop at a red light, using a handheld device while driving, seatbelt violations, stop sign infractions — are penal offences, not criminal ones. They do not create a criminal record, but they carry fines, court costs, and most importantly demerit points recorded on your driving record with the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).
People often say "traffic ticket lawyer" or "highway code lawyer." Technically, this refers to a provincial penal law lawyer. The procedure is governed by Quebec's Code of Penal Procedure.
Note: some HSC offences overlap with criminal offences under the Criminal Code. Impaired driving is a prime example — two parallel proceedings, two files to manage. Our firm handles both regimes simultaneously when required.
"A simple ticket may seem minor. But accumulate three or four, and your licence can be suspended. For someone whose livelihood depends on their vehicle, that is anything but minor."
