Traffic Tickets: Your Ultimate Guide to State Ticketing Systems

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Your state’s department of safety equivalent monitors drivers activities.

When you commit a traffic violation, you will likely get a fine. Most traffic citations will add points to your driving records.

The more points you accumulate, the more likely your driver’s license gets suspended. Alabama traffic tickets will have great an impact on your driving privilege if you repeatedly get caught committing traffic infractions.

Traffic Tickets Violations

The most common traffic violations in most states are moving violations. Moving violations are not considered severe infractions and will not result in harsh punishments. Most often, you are given a ticket with a fine. The more severe violations will have hefty fines and can lead to a license suspension, revoked, or canceled.

Less Severe Violations

Less severe violations may result with points added to your driving record. Here are some less severe traffic infractions (though this varies by state):

  • Speeding (1 to 25 mph over the speed limit)
  • Unsafe operation of your vehicle
  • Failure to follow a traffic signal

Severe Traffic Violations

Such violations that may result with a license suspension are:

  • Reckless driving
  • Driving under the influence (DUI) or While intoxicated (DWI) with drugs or alcohol
  • Property damages
  • Committing a felony with a motor vehicle
  • Committing manslaughter or homicide with a motor vehicle

Traffic Tickets Penalties

The penalties for traffic tickets will vary for adult drivers and teen drivers.

However, points will still get added to a driving record regardless of who the driver was at the time of the violation. The penalties can be administrative and criminal. The violation will determine the penalties and fines.

The least severe infractions will result in fewer points being added to the driver’s driving record.

The point system varies by state but here’s an example:

  • Speeding: 2 points
  • Unsafe operation of a vehicle: 2 points
  • Failure to follow traffic signals: 3 points
  • Reckless driving: 6 points
  • DUI/DWI: 6 points

The more severe infractions will often result in a suspended license. Or, your license may be revoked or canceled. When this happens, you must pay additional fines reinstatement.

Traffic Tickets Fines

Some traffic tickets will have surcharges. Surcharges are additional fines such as court cost, processing fee and others related to courses and an IID installation. The type of violations will determine if you must pay surcharges.

Surcharges

Surcharges are usually associated with DUI/DWI infractions. If you are caught DUI/DWI, you must pay fines associated with the violation and reinstatement if you want to drive again.

An example of these fines include:

  • 1st conviction: $600 to $2,100
  • 2nd conviction: $1,100 to $5,100
  • 3rd conviction: $2,000 to $10,000
  • 4th conviction: $4,100 to $10,100

The surcharges do not include attorney fees if you choose to have one.

Traffic Tickets Payment Options

When you receive traffic tickets, you typically have a few options to pay.

If you decide to pay, you are pleading guilty to the violation. The usual choices to pay are online, in person, or by the phone. Your ticket will have the options to pay printed on it.

Most often, the lesser violations fines can be paid online or by phone. The more severe may require you appearing before a judge. If that be the case, you cannot pay the fine online.

Online payments usually carry a surcharge for processing. If you are not sure, call the county court to verify the additional charges. If you plan to pay the fine in person, call for verification to avoid missing the payment date.

Late payment will add surcharges to the current fine on the ticket.

Fight Your Traffic Tickets

You can fight your traffic tickets if you think you can win and not pay the fine.

To fight the ticket, you must appear before the court and plead not guilty. A court date will be given for you to provide your proof. You can hire a traffic attorney to represent you.

The cost to fight a ticket can be enormous. If you lose the hearing, you must pay the court fee, ticket fee, surcharges, and your attorney fee. So, it is best to consider your options before you decide to challenge the ticket.