- 1). Attend traffic school. Some states, such as California, allow you to attend traffic school to keep the ticket off your driving record. This option does cost more money initially, as the state requires you to pay the ticket fine, traffic school and costs, but it reduces the expense in the long term through lower insurance costs.
- 2). Set the ticket for trial. Gamble that the police officer will not attend the court trial. If the officer does not show up, the case cannot be proven and the judge will dismiss your case.
- 3). Fight the ticket by setting the ticket for trial if you have a strong case. There is no guarantee you will win at trial. Gather your witnesses, if any, and bring them to trial with you. Question the officer after he testifies. Point out differences in his testimony and what you believe occurred in the stop. Question your witnesses about the events leading up to the ticket. Testify yourself as to your speed. The judge will normally issue a decision the same day.
- 4). Negotiate with the prosecuting attorney for a lower offense that does not carry points. Point out all information in your favor, such as this is your first ticket, the speed limit was not posted in the area you were driving or the sign was not visible. Agree to plead guilty to a lesser charge and pay the fine if there are no points.
- 5). Do nothing and rely on a state statute. Some states have a provision -- such as New York Insurance Law § 2335 -- under which your insurance rates cannot rise if you were going less than 15 miles over the posted limit. So, although a speeding ticket may be reported to the insurance company, there should be no increase in rates.
- 6). Hire an attorney. There are attorneys who specialize in fighting traffic tickets. These attorneys know the court system, the prosecuting attorney and the best defenses for your case. This option may cost more, but if keeping a ticket off your insurance is important, then this option may give you the best chance.
next post