Have You Recently Received a Speeding or Traffic violation?
Whether you were racing to get to work on time, checking a notification on your phone, or forgot to stop at a railroad crossing, being issued a speeding ticket or traffic citation can be frustrating and costly. Not only are you faced with hefty fines and penalties but potential increases to your auto insurance, added point values to your license, or potential loss of license. While paying your ticket or citation may be a convenient and acceptable option, an opportunity to fight your ticket may be available to you. This blog post explores the basics of speeding tickets and traffic violations and options that you may have and where an attorney can help.
Types of Traffic Violations
Traffic violations are not limited to excessive speeding, reckless driving, or following too closely, but include a long list of other tickets and citations related to moving traffic violations, crashes and accidents, and construction zones. Each traffic violation may result in point values being added to your license. The schedule of point values can be found on the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security website under driver services. Remember to always check your local traffic violations according to your city or county as there may be municipal codes and ordinances that provide different or additional traffic violations and citations.
Your Options
You may choose to pay your traffic violation instead of fighting and not appear in court. By paying your ticket or citation the result is a guilty plea. A guilty plea to a traffic violation may result in added points to your license. However, you have the option to go to court and fight your ticket. When fighting your ticket in traffic court before a Judge, you may have some options to overcome the traffic violation. For example, in Davidson County you are normally eligible to take a driving class if you have not taken the class in the past three years. By requesting to take a driving class in traffic court you may be able to avoid accumulating points on your license. Even if the request is denied, you can still fight your ticket by having a hearing. Some Judges may issue a warrant if you fail to take action against your ticket or fail to appear in court. Every county has different traffic court procedures, so make sure to research where you have court on the clerk’s website. Additionally, double check whether your ticket may be in a municipal court (city court) or county court.
If you want to fight your ticket, hiring an attorney may result in a better outcome for your violation. The consequences of some traffic violations can be harsh, so hiring an attorney can be beneficial by reducing the violations, eliminating points on your license, preventing the suspension of your license, or dismissing the violation.
Points on License
Different traffic violations have different impacts on the number of points placed on your license. For example, speeding 6-15 mph over the speed limit results in 3 points added to your license, while failing to stop at a railroad crossing results in 8 points added to your license. Under Tennessee’s Adult Points System, if a driver receives 12 or more points in a 12-month period, there can be harsh consequences to your license. If this threshold is reached, the driver is sent a notice of proposed suspension but is given the chance to attend a hearing. In many cases, the driver can attend a defensive driving course to reduce or stop the suspension of their license. For drivers under the age of 18, accumulating 6 or more points within a 12- month period requires that the juvenile driver be placed in the Driver Improvement Program.
While receiving a ticket or citation under a municipal code will not result in added points on your license, they come with inconvenient and hefty fees. However, most tickets are written under Tennessee’s statutory code and those violations will add points to your license if found guilty.
Defensive Driving School
Defensive Driving School may be an option for you to dismiss your traffic violation, reduce points, or prevent your license from being suspended. Defensive Driving School offers courses that not only can aid in helping prevent penalties from your license but help acquire safe driving skills. Links to Defensive Driving School class options near your region can be found on Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security Website.
Contact Our Office
Whether you have a speeding ticket or traffic citation, our office can help. Contact our office for more information if you or someone you know has received a traffic violation.
Contact May & McKinney, PLLC, if you are facing criminal charges in Tennessee!
