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The Yau Law Firm
Focused on Protecting Businesses and Representing the Injured

Traffic Ticket: Now What?

The traffic officer hands you a traffic citation, now what? Lately at the Yau Law Firm, we have been receiving calls from individuals who want to fight their traffic tickets, but don’t know how or what to do.

The first thing to understand is why you received a citation. Did you receive a ticket for speeding? Did you receive a red light camera ticket? Or, did you receive a ticket for not wearing a seat belt? If it is a non-criminal infraction, and depending on the offense, your ticket can be organized into two major categories: (1) moving, and (2) non-moving violations.

“Points on a license” is relevant only to moving violations. This is where most believe that going to traffic school can help prevent points from going on the license and car insurance rates from skyrocketing. The common misconception is that a ticket can be easily disposed of through traffic school. The problem with this idea is that traffic school is only useful for moving violations. So, a speeding citation, for instance, would qualify for traffic school. Yet, you must always remember that there is a limit to the number of times you can go to traffic school. The recipient of the citation can go to traffic school no more than 3 times per year, and no more than a total of 5 times during his/her lifetime.

On the other hand, there are non-moving violations. If you received a ticket for not wearing your seat belt, for instance, that is a non-moving violation, and traffic school would do you no good. Non-moving violations do not give “points,” but they do affect one’s driving record.

Paying for your traffic citation may make the ticket “go away,” but paying for the ticket is an admission to your offense, and it will go on your driving record.

Also mind the deadline! Most traffic citations give you 90 days, others do not! Ignoring a traffic citation can lead to your license being suspended. Driving on a suspended license can lead to criminal citations and even jail time. And, if you want to take care of that traffic citation after the deadline, you would need to pay an additional late penalty fee.

Traffic citations become costly. Handling it on your own can be daunting and difficult. When looking for help on your traffic citation, find attorneys who are willing to help on a flat rate fee. At the Yau Law Firm, our services begin as low as $69. Our flat rate fee guarantees that we represent you in any number of hearings, and it also includes legal research and writing. Give us a call today to see what we can do for you and your ticket!

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