When you’re driving to work on a Monday morning, the last thing you need to see is the flashing lights of a police car behind you. Regardless of your violation, you often will receive a ticket that has a hefty fine, even though the points from the violation will go on your driving record. Once you get the ticket, there are a few choices you have in handling this inconvenience.
Fight the Ticket
If you feel the ticket was unfairly or unreasonably assigned to you, you can attend the court date on the ticket to fight the ruling. You may benefit from hiring a traffic ticket attorney, since an attorney is more well-versed in the local traffic laws. Along with fighting a traffic ticket, an attorney can also help you prevent your license from being revoked and reduce insurance costs. Make an appointment with a high-quality attorney to have the charges dismissed. If you can’t get the charges dismissed, you may have to take a different course of action.
Attend a Class
When you are in an accident or get a ticket, you can choose to attend a driver’s class to prevent points from being assigned to your license. Depending on your local laws, a driver’s class can usually only be taken once every 12 months. In addition to alleviating the cost of a ticket, you also prevent your insurance rates from going up. This refresher course provides updated information on your state’s traffic laws, which may have changed since you received your first license.
Pay the Fine
If you are not eligible to attend the class, or you lose the court case against the ticket, you will have to pay the full expense of the ticket. Paying the ticket tells the courts that you assume guilt for your traffic violation, sometimes resulting in points being assigned to your driving record. Each violation incurs a different fee, with some fees as high as $3,000 or more per instance.
Points on Your License
Once you receive a ticket for a traffic violation, you may be assessed points to your license. Each violation is categorized as a moving or non-moving violation. Moving violations are the only tickets that assign points to your license, ranging from 2 to 4 points for each instance. If 12 points are assigned within a three-year period, your license is suspended for 60 days. To avoid fees and prevent points from being assigned, do your best to fight the ticket in court or take a class, rather than being forced to pay the fine.
Attorneys at The Law Office of Sherman M Ellison are the traffic ticket attorney in the Los Angeles area, helping drivers to prevent points from being assigned to their license. Schedule an appointment, if you have a ticket that needs to be addressed. You can also follow them on Twitter for more updates.
