Back To Articles

Article image 4 Reasons You Should Fight a Reckless Driving Ticket

Share This: Twitter Logo Facebook Logo Digg Icon
Posted On Sun, Dec 2nd 2012 Posted by : Legaladvice.com Staff
It is very important for a person to do all that they can to beat a ticket
for reckless driving. All states have different laws, but for the most
part, the consequences of not fighting a ticket are the same. There are 4
major consequences of getting a reckless driving ticket; paying fines,
higher insurance rates, license suspension, and jail time. These four will
be discussed below with special attention paid to each one so that the
seriousness of each can be explored to show how not beating that reckless
driving ticket can really affect someone’s life.



Fines

If a police officer stops a person for over speeding, failure to yield, or
failure to stop at a designated sign, it may result in a ticket for
reckless driving. The fines associated with this differ from state to state
but most states usually have a set amount for each particular act,
sometimes depending more on how many miles above the speed limits was one
going or the status of one’s driving record.

If there is no ticket amount written on the ticket, someone can find out
how much it is by looking online or calling the traffic court. It’s advised
by many, though, that a person fights the ticket instead of paying it.
Paying it might seem easier at the time, but can have negative consequences
such as being on a driving record for up to three years.

An alternative in some states is to pay the ticket in conjunction with
going to traffic school, which would have the effect of not having the
charge on your record, but this too has consequences as time missed from
work or from school.

Insurance Rates

Another negative consequence of a reckless driving ticket is higher
insurance rates. There’s no guarantee of this as most insurance companies
are as varied as the different state’s laws, but getting a higher insurance
rate can be incredibly frustrating.

Some experts say that having one or two reckless driving violations on a
record won’t affect the rates, but any more than that, and especially
coupled with an at-fault accident can really raise them. Some think it is
wise to call the insurance company to make sure their rates aren’t being
raised before deciding to fight their ticket, but this can have drawbacks
such as alerting the company of an accident, which isn’t a great idea if
deciding to fight the ticket.

License Suspension

As in the insurance rates information, a person may not get their license
taken away for just a few lesser reckless driving tickets if they include
speeding, running a stoplight or stop sign, or other minor accidents. If
charged with drunk driving, hit-and-run, or if the person has other charges
on record, their license may be taken away.

When in court fighting the ticket, it’s advised to try to point out any
mistakes the ticketing officer might have made and to be prepared to show
how it’s not your fault.

Another option is to point out how loss of a license can affect one’s job,
especially if driving is your profession and the only source of income. A
good tactic is to point out how driving for a living would naturally result
in a higher rate of accidents. Someone who is a professional driver will be
on the road for a relatively higher percentage of the time.

Jail Time

This is the ultimate consequence of getting that ticket, and why one must
do everything possible to avoid having to go to jail. Again, it depends on
variables and on location, but some have reported jail times of up to one
year for reckless driving. The consequences of this are obvious such as
loss of a job, family estrangement, a permanently scarred record and loss
of freedom. The best advice at this point in the game is to get legal
advice. A good lawyer knows the ins and outs of the legal system and can
circumnavigate the waters with ease and hopefully gets that ticket tossed
out.

As it has been shown, there are many consequences to getting a reckless
driving ticket and so many reasons to fight it. No one wants their driving
history tainted by it. No one wants to pay fines or higher insurance rates.
Most definitely no one wants to go to the jail.

So, fight it using any means possible. Prove that the officer was mistaken.
Prove that the ticket was unwarranted. Hire a lawyer and stay out of jail.
Remember, just because a police officer pulls someone over doesn’t mean
he’s right. There are too many variables, and it’s a person’s record – and
life – that’s at stake.

 

Author bio: Scott Desind, traffic attorney successfully fights traffic tickets for drivers in the Los Angeles area. He shares his experiences on his traffic ticket blog and at various events.

Comments

Post Comment

Name
Email
Website Categories
Comment