Drivers are responsible for following the rules of the road and would not be able to use getting incorrect information from a GPS as a defense to get out of a traffic ticket.
Many new vehicles show the speed limit on the GPS screen, in a head-up display or beside the speedometer. It’s a handy feature, but who is making sure that these speed limits match the road signs? How often are carmakers required to update these limits? Can I do anything if my car’s GPS tells me the wrong speed limit and I get a ticket? – Lawrence, Saanich, B.C.
If your car tells you the wrong speed limit and you get a ticket, you’re on your own, a legal expert said.
“People call me all the time and say, ’My GPS told me to do this and then I got a ticket,’” said Kyla Lee, a Vancouver-based criminal defence lawyer. “At the end of the day, you’re the one who’s responsible for your decision-making and your driving – and you’re the one who’s responsible for following the law.”
So, for instance, if your car tells you the speed limit is 80 kilometres an hour and you get a ticket for going over 50 in a construction zone, you’re likely stuck with the ticket, Lee said.
“That is not a defence in court that’s going to get you out of your traffic ticket,” she said. “Just because somebody or something tells you to do something illegal, that doesn’t excuse you from using your own skill and judgment as a driver.”
