06-29-2006, 05:15 AM
OPP switch to e-tickets to reduce clerical errors
CTV.ca News Staff
The Ontario Provincial Police have switched to an electronic ticketing system in a move to fight drivers who escape traffic violations on technicalities and illegible hand-written notices.
Beginning Wednesday, the OPP will issue e-tickets that are printed from a computer equipped into the cruiser's dashboard.
The e-ticket is created after the officer swipes the driver's licence through a scanner.
In addition, the computer does a background check through a Ministry of Transportation database to see if the driver has a valid licence, is a suspended driver, and has the proper vehicle tags and ownership documents.
The OPP says the new e-tickets will significantly reduce the number of errors produced by hand-written notices that are sometimes too messy to read.
Paralegals who go to court to fight for drivers charged with traffic violations because of illegible tickets or other technicalities will have a much harder time winning their cases, police say.
"It's good news for the police, good news for good drivers, bad news for bad drivers and bad news for (paralegals)," OPP Sgt. Cam Woolley told CTV Toronto.
Woolley said one of the first drivers checked during a blitz Wednesday morning revealed the motorist was driving while under suspension.
The system will also increase public safety because the computers are faster than the traditional method, therefore shortening the length of time motorists sit idle during the road check, Woolley said.
The small white tickets used until now will become obsolete, and the OPP says the new initiative reduces the processing costs of default notices.
The computer equipment will be installed in 500 cruisers by the end of the year, Woolley said.
Toronto police are looking into implementing the system in their vehicles.
The Ministry of Transportation also introduced similar technology that will allow enforcement officers to issue e-tickets and do checks on commercial vehicles.
Currently, it can take several weeks for vehicle inspection data to be processed, causing the repeated, unintentional stoppage and inspection of commercial vehicles.
The OPP and MTO will also be able to view notices about vehicle defects and incomplete repair work on commercial vehicles online.
CTV.ca News Staff
The Ontario Provincial Police have switched to an electronic ticketing system in a move to fight drivers who escape traffic violations on technicalities and illegible hand-written notices.
Beginning Wednesday, the OPP will issue e-tickets that are printed from a computer equipped into the cruiser's dashboard.
The e-ticket is created after the officer swipes the driver's licence through a scanner.
In addition, the computer does a background check through a Ministry of Transportation database to see if the driver has a valid licence, is a suspended driver, and has the proper vehicle tags and ownership documents.
The OPP says the new e-tickets will significantly reduce the number of errors produced by hand-written notices that are sometimes too messy to read.
Paralegals who go to court to fight for drivers charged with traffic violations because of illegible tickets or other technicalities will have a much harder time winning their cases, police say.
"It's good news for the police, good news for good drivers, bad news for bad drivers and bad news for (paralegals)," OPP Sgt. Cam Woolley told CTV Toronto.
Woolley said one of the first drivers checked during a blitz Wednesday morning revealed the motorist was driving while under suspension.
The system will also increase public safety because the computers are faster than the traditional method, therefore shortening the length of time motorists sit idle during the road check, Woolley said.
The small white tickets used until now will become obsolete, and the OPP says the new initiative reduces the processing costs of default notices.
The computer equipment will be installed in 500 cruisers by the end of the year, Woolley said.
Toronto police are looking into implementing the system in their vehicles.
The Ministry of Transportation also introduced similar technology that will allow enforcement officers to issue e-tickets and do checks on commercial vehicles.
Currently, it can take several weeks for vehicle inspection data to be processed, causing the repeated, unintentional stoppage and inspection of commercial vehicles.
The OPP and MTO will also be able to view notices about vehicle defects and incomplete repair work on commercial vehicles online.