Increase Success Odds When Fighting Traffic Tickets

By: Mark Langschied | Posted: 12th May 2010

Consider the following three things to increase your odds of successfully fighting a traffic ticket.

1. Courtesy to the Police Officer

You are just one of many people an officer interacts with in an 8-hour shift. A single officer can write a ticket every ten minutes with computerized ticket writing. Most people receiving a ticket are angry, sad or upset. Here's where some err. They make a mistake when they dispute or, worse yet, are rude to the officer.
You are much better served being calm and respectful to the officer. I would recommend that you treat the officer politely and respectfully. You may tell the officer your version of events but it should be done in a calm, respectful manner.
Why? Getting the police officer's support is often vital to getting a successful outcome for your traffic ticket. If you are discourteous, the officer may write this on the copy of the ticket forwarded to the prosecutor. If the prosecutor sees this on the ticket, or if the police officer tells the prosecutor that you were rude, the prosecutor will often not offer you a reduction. For example, the prosecutor will refuse to offer you a reduction to a zero-point infraction.

2. Fight Every Ticket

The Secretary of State has a database of everyone's driving record. If you receive a traffic ticket conviction in a court, the court will, in most cases, send a record of your conviction to the Secretary of State so they can append it to your driving record. Since your insurance company has access to the Secretary of State records, this can cause costly insurance rate hikes.

In my opinion, it's important to fight every ticket. This is the only way you can possibly attempt to keep your driving record pristine. Why? It's important to recognize that prosecutors have a copy of your driving record when you go to court. If the prosecutor views received tickets on your record, he will be less likely to offer you a reduced ticket. It's similar to individuals charged with crimes. If it's your 1st offense, you can often get a plea to a lesser charge. If you have prior offenses,it's less likely that the prosecutor will offer you a reduced charge.

3. Hire an Attorney that Often Handles Traffic Ticket Cases
The saying "been there, done that" certainly applies in this case. A traffic ticket attorney can be very helpful. An attorney can try to negotiate a positive plea reduction or, if necessary, argue your case to the judge.


Disclaimer: The information you obtain in this article is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. You should consult a lawyer for individual advice regarding your own situation.
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Tags: mistake, odds, crimes, conviction, insurance company, insurance, police officer, secretary of state, insurance rate, infraction, prosecutors, traffic ticket, prosecutor