Traffic Tickets FAQ

Here are some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) about traffic violations.

If you have received a traffic ticket and need legal advice about your rights and options for contesting it, find a traffic lawyer near you.

What Is a Traffic Ticket?

A traffic ticket is a citation or summons issued for one or more traffic violations (motor vehicle laws). The citation or summons, issued by a police officer, is an order to appear in court before a judge. After being issued the ticket, you can remain free pending your need to appear in court.

What Is Traffic Court?

Traffic court is a type of court that mainly handles traffic laws such as traffic citations and tickets.  A traffic court can be completely separate from other types of courts. The traffic court will have a judge ruling over the proceedings.

Is Signing the Ticket an Admission of Guilt?

No, it’s just your acknowledgment that you received the notice to appear. Because you are actually being charged with a violation of law, the officer could take you into custody if you refuse to sign the ticket. It’s in your best interest to sign the ticket, so you remain free and retain your right to show up at the court hearing to dispute the ticket or to pay the ticket.

Is Paying the Ticket an Admission of Guilt?

Yes, paying a ticket is the same as pleading guilty to a misdemeanor or felony offense. You do not have to do this in court. Paying the fine before the court date on the ticket will also generally mean you give up your right to contest the ticket.

Do I Have To Go to Court To Pay My Fine?

No, in most states you can mail your fine directly to the court house. Some states even allow you to make a payment online. However, you can always pay your fine at the court house.

How Long Does a Traffic Ticket Stay on Your Record?

The time a traffic violation stays on your record depends on the state. A minor traffic violation may stay on your record for a limited time, usually two to five years. In some states, a traffic violation will permanently remain on your state driving record. If the traffic violation is a misdemeanor or felony offense, it can also show up on your criminal record.

What Are the Penalties for a Ticket in a Construction Zone?

Motor vehicles driving through a construction zone or work zone can be dangerous for workers. Traffic laws often lower speed limits in construction zones. This can mean a ticket for drivers who regularly drive through the areas at a normal speed. There are usually increased penalties for speeding in a work zone, which can include doubled fines and additional points, depending on the state.

How Many Points Is a Speeding Ticket?

Many states use a points-based system for driving records. After a driver accumulates a certain number of points, they can get a suspended license. Different types of traffic violations count for different numbers of points. The number of points for a speeding ticket depends on state law.

Do Speeding and Traffic Tickets Affect Insurance?

Traffic tickets can affect your insurance rates. Auto insurance companies have access to your driving record and can see when you get a traffic ticket or points on your record. The insurance company considers drivers with traffic violations to be at a higher risk of getting into an accident and generally raise your insurance premiums after a speeding ticket.

Is a Traffic Ticket a Misdemeanor?

Traffic tickets are generally infractions or misdemeanors. Minor traffic violations, such as a parking violation or speeding, are generally infractions. The penalties for an infraction may include a fine and points on your driving record. Some criminal traffic violations can be misdemeanors criminal offenses, including reckless driving, hit and run, or drunk driving. Vehicular manslaughter or multiple DUIs are often felonies.

What Is Traffic School?

Traffic school is a course where you can have traffic violations dismissed and keep your record clean. Traffic school can be a classroom program or online program that focuses on highway safety and safe driving information. It may only be available for minor traffic violations, like speeding or running a stop sign. In most cases, you can only do traffic school if you have not had a prior traffic violation or participated in traffic school within a certain period.

I Didn’t Mean To Speed, Can I Still Get a Ticket?

Yes, a speeding ticket does not take into account the reason for speeding. This is called a strict-liability offense. The police only have to prove that you were speeding, nothing else. Ignorance of the law is not a defense to a traffic violation.

What Is the Speed Limit if There’s No Sign?

Many drivers with speeding tickets try to defend themselves by claiming there was no posted speed limit. However, city regulations often include default speed limits. Default maximum speed limits tend to be around 20-30 mph for city streets, 55 mph for county highways, and and 65 mph for interstate highways.

Are Speed Cameras Required To Have Signs on Them?

Speed camera and red-light camera laws vary by state. Some states allow speed cameras and red light cameras. Other states prohibit them. In Georgia, for example, speed cameras are only permitted in school zones and only around the times when school is in session. Check your state laws for speed camera requirements.

I Forgot My License at Home, Am I in Trouble?

You should carry your license with you whenever you are operating a motor vehicle. In some states you may be able to have the ticket dismissed if you bring your license to court and show that it was valid on the date you were stopped and not expired or suspended.

What Is an Illegal U-Turn?

Sometimes you drive right by the store you were looking for and decide to make a quick U-turn.  Generally, a police officer can give you a ticket when you make an illegal or unsafe u-turn. While some crossroads will state that U-turns are prohibited, others won’t, and a police officer will have to determine if it is reasonably safe for you to make a U-turn based on the weather, traffic, and your ability to see oncoming traffic. While making a U-turn at an intersection with a clear No U-turn sign is an easy way to earn yourself a traffic ticket, often times an illegal U-turn will be more complicated.

Can I Be Cited for Boating Under the Influence?

Few things beat the open waters with a cold beer in your hands with friends. However, sometimes the partying can go too far and someone might drink too much. Every state has a law against drunk boating just like drunk driving. A conviction can mean fines, increased insurance rates, and even jail time. Both federal and state officers can pull you over if they think you may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police can even set up checkpoints on the water to check each driver. Some states will allow officers to come onto your boat or personal watercraft while other states will require probable cause to board your vessel. 

What Do Traffic Violation Lawyers Do?

The right to drive is a privilege, which is mainly governed by the individual states. Traffic violation attorneys deal with a mix of violations of state statutes and county, city, or other local ordinances relating to the operation of vehicles. They can help you think about your options when you receive a ticket and represent you in traffic court if you want to contest the ticket.