Whether drivers should contest traffic tickets or not is not an easy decision to make.
This article aims at simplifying this decision making process for you.
You should know that contesting all kinds of traffic tickets is a right that you have, and in the event that you choose not to, you could end up bearing significant costs owing to fines and insurance.
The question is whether you should contest traffic tickets even if you’re guilty.
Although you might have broken traffic related law, the main question is how unsafe your actions were. This is simply because these laws are said to be in place to promote safety. Therefore for a ticket to be justified, you ought to be responsible for the creation of hazardous circumstances which were otherwise absent.
To simplify things, ask yourself these questions:
-Did your actions put any innocent bystanders at risk.
-Was the speeding ticket the result of your negligible and or reckless driving.
-Did your traffic violation become the cause of a probable accident.
In the event that you’re answers to these questions are no, then there is a good possibility of your successfully contesting the traffic tickets or traffic violations.
And in such a scenario, your ticket in all likelihood, is simply a means for the system to earn some revenue.
Should you contest to pay speeding ticket at traffic court.
Know that the running of modern cities requires a fair amount of capital, and an assortment of levies and taxes are the system’s way of generating revenue for everything from city government, to the law enforcement agencies. The sad thing is that this is also done by issuing traffic tickets which aren’t really deserved. So if you don’t mind filling the city coffers with your money there really is no stopping you. Your money, you can be sure, is always welcome.
Conversely, in case you’re of the opinion that certain traffic tickets are not justified, there is every reason for you to learn how to and then contest it and have it erased. The money that you end up saving will simply be the icing on the cake.
Just what are your options when you get any of the various traffic tickets, or parking tickets? One, you can choose to ignore it. Two, you simply go ahead and pay it. Three, you choose to contest it.
Ignoring Traffic Tickets
If you feel that the ticket is not justified, there is every reason for you to feel bitter about it. However, will simply tearing it up or throwing it away solve the problem? No. This is because there’s a good chance that the paper you chose to tear or throw away came with a court date that requires your presence. In the event that you ignore the court hearing, the issuing of an arrest warrant with your name on it is very probable.
Yes, ignoring traffic tickets can come with serious repercussions. In the event that you choose to ignore a ticket, here is what you can expect.
• Sometime in the future, you are pulled over for some reason.
• The pending arrest warrant comes to the officer’s attention.
• You are arrested immediately, and your driver’s license will be at risk.
• In case the warrant is from a city which is close by, you are taken to the local station and then have to wait until the relevant authorities come for you. The wait can be in between a few hours or an entire night.
• While you are arrested, there is a good possibility of your vehicle being towed.
• You might have to skip work the next day.
• You would be required to call someone who can come and bail you out.
So, this is what ignoring traffic tickets can entail.
In terms of the money that you’d have to shell out in the process, you might have been better off having paid the fine in the first place.
Here’s an example of how your expenses would run in case you ignore your ticket.
• The bail – this is generally the amount mentioned in the ticket in question
• Getting your vehicle out of the pound – $80 to $100
• Lost pay – one day’s wage
In addition, this is something that will not pass the eyes of your insurance company, and you can, as a result, expect your premium to rise. So, although you might be tempted to simply ignore your traffic tickets, know that it really isn’t a good idea.
Paying Your Traffic Tickets
If you choose to steer clear of going to the court to contest the ticket and opt to pay it instead, here’s how it’ll pan out.
• You pay the fine amount, and speeding fines cost around $150.
• Your driving record sees the assessment of points, and this will depend on the charge’s severity. While 2 points is quite common, if you’ve crossed the speed limit considerably, or the crime lab had to get involved, you can also expect the addition of around 6 points or more.
• Three years will have to pass for these points to be erased.
• Your insurance company will know of these points, and will accordingly brand you as a ‘high liability’ or ‘unsafe’ driver.
• The next step is the increasing of your premium. This, again, if for a three year period, and at an average of $300 for each year, you’d be spending close to $1,000 just for this.
Contesting Traffic Tickets
If you are choosing to contest the traffic tickets, you obviously do not like the previous two possibilities. This will result in your taking the plea to the relevant court. In such a circumstance, you would be pleading ‘not guilty’ and would then have to wait for the trial’s date.
Know that in case the officer in question fails to turn up at the hearing for your traffic tickets, your case would be dismissed. So, by simply pleading ‘not guilty’, you actually give yourself a fair chance of something like this happening. Now, if you have been charged with a DUI this isn’t the route to go. In this case you would need an attorney to represent you, because obviously we’re not talking about simple traffic tickets anymore.
Irrespective of what you’ve heard about contesting traffic tickets, or speeding tickets, traffic school and the like, know that the process is not at all complicated, especially if you know what to expect. As long as you’re aware of what’s required of you, there is every possibility that you could end up beating your ticket. This, though, makes it important for you to know what to expect, because otherwise, you might be held accountable of traffic tickets you aren’t even responsible for.
0 comments:
Post a Comment