A traffic ticket is a legal citation given by a police officer or state trooper when you commit a driving infraction. It could be given for speeding, not obeying a traffic sign or a police officer, or some other law breaking behavior you commit behind the wheel of a car, truck, motorcycle or even a bicycle.
When you are given a ticket and you sign for it, you have legally received the ticket and have agreed to either pay the ticket based on the terms provided or to appear in court on the day outlined on the ticket to fight it.
Most people do not get tickets often and are so shocked by the incident they pay it right away or certainly before the date the ticket is due to be paid. Some people however ignore a ticket and think that it will just go away if they do not pay attention to it. This however is not the case.
The truth is that a state might take all sorts of tough measures if you fail to pay a ticket on time. Here are some of the things that may happen to you.
- The Amount You Owe Will Increase – Tickets have a fine due if paid by the date on the ticket. If you do not meet that date, the cost of the fine will likely increase You Can Add Additional Points on Your License – You will likely In addition to the points associated with the violation, you could accumulate more points for nonpayment of the ticket. More points could lead to higher insurance rates and driver’s license suspension.
- You Might Face Arrest – Some states will might charge you for ignoring the ticket with a misdemeanor leading to a warrant for your arrest. This would mean that ff you are stopped by police and you have unpaid tickets on your record, you could be arrested.
- Suspended License – Some traffic tickets if left unpaid can lead to a suspended license. The court could suspend your driver’s license.
The ticket is due to be paid in the state where you got it but it will likely follow you to your home state because many states now have reciprocity agreements.
If you think you have been erroneously served a traffic violation, you should consider hiring an attorney to fight it. If you received the ticket in San Francisco and you need a traffic ticket lawyer San Francisco is where you should look. If you got the ticket in Los Angeles you should also get a local lawyer there. Find a cheap traffic attorney Los Angeles who can get the job done. This is especially the case if you are charged with a criminal traffic violation, likes reckless driving or excessive speeding. In this case. A good traffic ticket lawyer is your best option to keep your license or even stay out of jail.
Remember to never disregard a traffic ticket because the consequences can be dire. You can lose your license or even your freedom.
