Traffic Ticket in the United States

Thousands of traffic tickets are doled out by law enforcement every day. Many of these tickets are paid without another thought.

Common Types of Traffic Tickets (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) Some of the most common types of traffic tickets include

Parking Tickets

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Individuals can receive a parking ticket for a number of reasons. They may have parked illegally in a loading zone or handicapped spot.

Speeding

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. A speeding ticket is one of the most common reasons for a moving violation. A person can receive a speeding ticket for going even one mile over the posted speed limit.

Red Light or Stop Sign

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Individuals can receive tickets if they run a red light or stop sign.

Driving Without Insurance

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Most states require drivers to carry at least liability coverage in case they cause an accident.

Driving Without a License

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. A person may receive this ticket if he or she is driving without being licensed or driving on a suspended or revoked license.

Distracted Driving

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Due to the high number of accidents involving cell phones and other forms of distracted driving, cities and states across the country have responded by passing laws that prohibit distracted driving and that increase the punishment for driving in a distracted state.

Reckless Driving

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Reckless driving occurs when a person drives in such a manner that he or she exhibits a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of others.

Consequences of Traffic Tickets (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) The potential consequences of receiving a traffic ticket depend on the type of ticket and any previous incident of tickets.

Points on their Driving Record

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Many states operate under a point system. the affected people can accumulate points for driving violations.

Action against their Driver’s License

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Depending on the type of violation and their driving history, the affected people may risk having their license suspended or revoked.

Higher Insurance Rates or Loss of Insurance

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. With more points, the affected people may face higher rates. their insurance policy may state that it can drop the affected people if the affected people go over a certain number of points.

Traffic School

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. You may also be required to attend traffic school or take defense driving classes. This requirement may interfere with their job or social life.

Fines

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. You will likely be required to pay a fine. Higher fines will likely be imposed for more serious violations or repeat offenses.

Additional Traffic Court Requirements

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. The traffic court that decides the case may impose additional requirements with which the affected people must comply.

Fighting the Ticket (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) If the affected people believe that the affected people received a ticket in error or the affected people otherwise have grounds to contest the ticket, the affected people can attend the hearing to fight the ticket in court.

You Didn’t Commit the Infraction

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. This defense is most common in cases in which a red light camera or similar device captured their vehicle running a red light or speeding If the affected people were not driving at the time, there are usually instructions on the notice that the affected people receive about the violation that explain how to contest the ticket.

The Officer Didn’t Show Up

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Constitutionally, the affected people have the right to confront their accuser. their state may require the police officer who issued the ticket to show up at court.

Radar Gun Was Inaccurate

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. If the affected people believe that the affected people were not speeding at the time when the affected people were issued a speeding ticket, the case will likely be a he-said, she-said and the judge may find the officer more credible.

Subjective Challenge

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Because many traffic stops are the result of a law enforcement officer’s subjective conclusions, one way to contest the ticket is to challenge this aspect.

Justifiable Action

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. Another potential defense is when the affected people acted in an illegal manner but their actions were justified given the circumstances.

Mistake of Fact

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. This argument is usually made on a technicality. It is based on a person making an innocent mistake related to the facts surrounding the issue.

Categories of Traffic Tickets (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) State and local laws determine traffic laws and regulations, so how a traffic ticket is treated can vary by jurisdiction.

City Ordinance Violation

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. This type of violation is often due to a photo enforcement system or other device that helps identify infractions.

Civil Infraction

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. This type of ticket may involve a court hearing. However, often such hearings are only optional and a person can avoid having to make a court appearance by paying the fine or otherwise corresponding through the mail.

Traffic Misdemeanor

Note: Find out more information about this topic in this American legal Encyclopedia. This type of ticket is usually more serious and has more serious repercussions attached to a guilty finding, including jail time, community service, larger fines and suspension of driving privileges.

Hiring a Lawyer (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) Deciding on whether or not to hire a lawyer depends on a number of factors. However, it is usually determined by whether the cost to hire a lawyer is greater than the cost of a guilty verdict.

Minimizing Consequences (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) If the affected people would like to minimize the consequences of receiving a ticket without actually fighting it, there may be several options.

Paying the Ticket (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) After reviewing the information in this handbook, the affected people may decide to simply pay the ticket. Carefully read over the information on the ticket.

Preparing their Case (in General)

(In United States law, in the context of Traffic Ticket) It is often not enough to simply show up at court.