Auto Traffic Tickets

In case you wonder what to do with a traffic ticket for a moving violation, like a friend of mine, there are a couple places to look online for answers. These are not “advice” sites or opinions, but rather links to the government departments which administer the enforcement of traffic laws and some of the applicable Florida Statutes.

First, start with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (“DMV”) site, which has a “Speeding Ticket Options and Fines” page. Most questions are answered here regarding your options for taking care of your ticket (citation). This site explains that, “Florida Statute 626.9541(1)(o) 12 states: "No insurer shall impose or request an additional premium, cancel a policy, or issue a nonrenewal notice on any insurance policy or contract because of any traffic infraction when adjudication of guilt is withheld and no points have been accessed pursuant to s.318.14(9) and (10). However, this subparagraph does not apply to traffic infractions involving accidents in which the insurer has incurred a loss due to the fault of the insured."

Florida Statue, Section 318.14 sets forth rules and procedures related to receiving a traffic ticket (e.g. you must accept and sign the ticket or be deemed to have committed a second degree misdemeanor, you must elect to contest the ticket or to attend driving school within 30 days of receiving the citation, and you have 60 days from the date you choose driving school to complete the course and return the certificate of completion to the Clerk of Court of the County issuing the citation), and your options with regard to traffic school, provided you are eligible to attend traffic school, depending on the nature of the violation, as detailed in Section 318.14. You may not elect to attend traffic school to avoid “points” on your license more than once a year, or five times over your lifetime. There are many “traffic schools” found online, with each offering internet based four hour course for about $35.00. You man not elect to attend a driver improvement course if you are ticketed for exceeding the speed limit by 30 miles per hour or it you hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Check also with the Clerk of Court’s website for the County where your citation was issued for frequently asked questions and other information on taking care of your ticket. Some Counties have more useful sites than others for guiding a citizen through the citation handling process: See, Polk County Clerk of Court, Pinellas County Clerk of Court , Pasco County Clerk of Court , Hernando County Clerk of Court , Manatee County Clerk of Court , Sarasota County Clerk of Court , Citrus County Clerk of Court , Sumter County Clerk of Court .