You’re on a summer roadtrip, running a bit late for check‑in, the road opens up and the temptation to “make up time” kicks in. A few kilometres later, a flash from a speed camera or an unmarked police car can turn that impulse into a ticket that follows you long after the holiday glow fades. A speed camera is an automated device that measures a vehicle’s speed and takes a photo when it detects a violation. It’s used to enforce limits consistently in places where speeding is common, like highways, tourist routes and work zones.
Speed cameras on summer routes
Across Canada, fixed cameras, mobile units and photo radar vans are increasingly used on busy summer corridors. They tend to appear near high‑collision areas, school and community zones, and in stretches where drivers routinely exceed the limit on their way to cottages, lakes or campgrounds.
Camera tickets can be expensive, often running into the hundreds once fees and surcharges are added. In many areas, photo radar tickets go to the vehicle owner and may not add demerit points, but they can still count as convictions depending on local rules. If they’re recorded on your driving abstract (the official record insurers see), they can influence your premium for several years.
How insurers see speeding
For insurers, a ticket is a risk signal, regardless of whether it came from a camera or a roadside stop. A single minor speeding conviction might push your renewal up by around 5–15%, while multiple tickets or very high speeds can move you into “high‑risk” territory with much steeper increases. Some drivers with repeated serious convictions end up with premiums 50% higher or more, or face non‑renewal.
Summer roadtrip tickets are not treated as “holiday exceptions”. If the conviction appears on your record, it sits there like any other, usually for several years. Out‑of‑province offences can also follow you home, as many licensing authorities share information; if the points and conviction transfer, insurers will see them.
Aggressive driving beyond the ticket
Speeding is only one piece of “aggressive driving”, a label that also covers tailgating, weaving through traffic, hard accelerating and late, harsh braking. Even if you avoid tickets, this style shows up in your claims history: more near‑misses, more minor collisions, and more severe crashes when things go wrong at higher speeds.
Insurers price based heavily on claims, not just tickets. A driver with no convictions but several at‑fault crashes often pays more than a ticket‑free driver with a calm, uneventful history. Aggressive driving increases stopping distances, reduces reaction time and makes any impact more violent, which is why claim costs rise sharply once speeds go well beyond the limit.
Some insurers now offer telematics (a smartphone or plug‑in device that records how you drive) to refine premiums. These systems measure speed relative to the limit, time of day, smoothness of braking and acceleration, and sometimes phone use. Consistently hard, fast driving on summer trips can pull your score down, shrinking any discount or even triggering a surcharge where that’s allowed.
Planning a cheaper, calmer trip
A relaxed cruising speed is cheaper in more ways than one. Dropping from well over the limit to something closer to it can cut fuel use by 10–20% on a long highway drive, even before you factor in the cost of a possible ticket. Add a roof box and an aggressive pace, and you’re burning significantly more; a box alone can add 10–25% to fuel use at typical highway speeds.
Build extra time into your route so you’re not relying on speed to stay on schedule. Use cruise control wisely on open stretches, but switch it off in heavy traffic or rain where you need finer control. If you share the driving, agree on a common approach to speed so one person’s “normal” doesn’t undo the other’s clean record.
Checklist
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Know typical limits on highways, rural roads and through small communities before you go.
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Expect more enforcement near holiday routes, construction zones and popular recreation areas.
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Pack lighter and avoid unnecessary roof loads to reduce fuel burn at legal speeds.
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Schedule rest stops; fatigue is a major trigger for impatient, risky moves.
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After the trip, watch for any tickets and deal with them promptly to avoid extra fees.
Summer roadtrips should leave memories, not a long trail of higher premiums. Give yourself margin, respect the limits, and your insurance record is far more likely to survive the season intact.