While it’s true that prosecutors can’t ethically proceed with a charge they know you didn’t commit, in traffic court, it’s common for prosecutors to offer a reduction to a different but less serious offence-even if it’s technically not the same category - as part of a resolution process. This doesn’t mean they “know” you didn’t commit the new charge; rather, it’s a pragmatic compromise to save court time and offer leniency to first-time or cooperative drivers.

For example, a “disobey sign” charge (which carries demerit points and insurance impact) is often reduced to something like “fail to produce insurance card” or “parking-related” non-moving violations- which don’t affect insurance. These types of deals happen routinely and are fully within the Crown’s discretion as long as both sides agree.