All drivers understand the concept of being pulled over for traffic stops due to speeding. Naturally, this is one of the most common reasons people get citations, as it can lead to fatal car wrecks. However, what happens when you drive in a different country and don’t understand the speed conversion? Recently, one American driver received a hefty ticket in Canada for this very reason. 

This U.S. driver was pulled over and cited for excessive speeding

According to The Ottawa Citizen, a man from the U.S. recently drove on Highway 417 in the Moodie Drive area in Ontario, Canada. Everything was fine until the Ontario Provincial Police pulled him over. Of course, traffic stops are normal, so he thought nothing of the encounter until the police told him he had been speeding. 

The speed limit on the road was 100 km/h. The driver believed he was going 100 km/h because his vehicle read 100 miles per hour. Because of this, the traffic stop confused him. However, the police officer explained that his car was set for miles per hour instead of kilometers per hour. In all actuality, this driver was pulled over because he was going 161 km/h, which equates to 100 miles per hour. He should have been traveling about 62 MPH to adhere to the speed limit. Apparently, it’s not uncommon for traffic stops to happen for this level of confusion.

Of course, you don’t get out of traffic stops because you don’t understand speed conversions. As a result, the U.S. driver received a citation for stunt driving. In Canada, this means they could impound the vehicle for 14 days and suspend your driver’s license for 30. If the court convicts the man, the stunt driving ticket also comes with a $2,000 fine and a one-year driving ban in Ontario. 

Of course, speeding easily leads to car wrecks, which means drivers need to make themselves aware of local road laws when traveling.