Here is a three step process that can keep a traffic ticket from costing you more money each month on your insurance.
There are two primary reasons that auto insurance prices increase.
These are automobile accidents and moving violations or traffic tickets.
If you are in an automobile accident, there is little you can do other than just wait it out.
The good news is that in three years the accident will drop off of your driving record.
The second bit of good news is that many auto insurance companies do not increase prices for insurance if you have only one accident or one ticket.
However, if you get a second ticket, or have a second accident, you will see the prices increase.
Here is something that many states are allowing their residents to do in order to prevent the increase in auto insurance.
Instead of allowing traffic tickets to go onto your driving record and remain there for three years, you can take a defensive driving class, also called a traffic school, and the court will dismiss the ticket.
A dismissed ticket will never show up on your driving record, so it cannot make the price of your insurance increase.
In fact, some insurance companies have recognized that taking the school can actually reduce your chances of having an accident so they may give you a discount on your insurance rates, by as much as ten percent.
Before the internet, taking a class meant that you would have to take a day off work or spend an entire Saturday in the clinic.
Most schools require about six hours of course time.
Now, you can take the courses online and avoid having to miss work or losing a Saturday.
Instead, you can watch the video presentation in order to get the required course work done and take a test.
Pass the test and you receive in the mail a certificate to go to the traffic court and one to go to your insurance company.
The minimum that a school can charge is often set by state law.
Some states allow the schools to charge as little as twenty-five dollars for the class.
That in its self is already a savings over what you would have to pay to meet the ticket requirement.
Most states have laws that give directions as to how often a ticket can be dismissed by taking school.
For example, in Florida, tickets are only dismissed once every twelve months.
However, the insurance discount will last for three years.
The discount is good enough that there are many residents that actually take the class even though they may not need it for a ticket, but to get the three year discount on insurance costs.
Since you never know when an accident might occur, the best plan is to take the class every time you receive a ticket if possible.
By keeping your driving record clean, you have some room in case an accident does occur to keep the cost of your insurance down.
If you already have a ticket or accident on your record, then you will certainly want to take the class in order to keep that second ticket from increasing your insurance rates.
Often the increase in insurance rates will mean that you are paying almost as much in insurance rate increase as you do for the ticket, only you must make the insurance payment every month and the ticket charge is for only one time.
Therefore, if you are considering the option of paying the ticket and keeping your free time free, remember that this option may cost you every month for three years.
That is thirty six monthly payments that can be two to three times the price you would normally pay for insurance.
There are also times that the court may order a driver to take a class in order to avoid losing his or her license.
Most states have a point system, and every accident or ticket that is on your driving record costs you a certain number of points.
If you have more points than is allowed, then your driving privilege will be revoked.
Thus, the court may give you the option of taking school or losing your license.
There are several different approaches to teaching the class.
Some classes are taught using a behavior modification technique.
They focus on what makes you mad about other drivers and then turn those behaviors back to you.
Other classes spend time talking about reaction times and stopping distances.
They give you the facts that you will need to be a safer driver.
Still another tactic is the use of humor.
By causing us to laugh at ourselves, the class can help us to modify our behavior so that we become better drivers.
You state may have other laws the will prevent you from being able to have the ticket dismissed.
For example, some states will not allow tickets that are issued in school zones or work zones to be dismissed.
Other states will not allow seat belt violations to be dismissed.
Very few people like to be told that they are doing something wrong.
This is especially true if you are being told about your driving ability.
The traffic ticket can be a big expense for an already tight budget.
If you are faced with a traffic ticket, there are things to do other than pay the ticket or go to school.
You can hire an attorney.
A traffic ticket lawyer who deals only with traffic tickets is who you want to hire.
The lawyers at the traffic ticket team have handled over one million traffic tickets.
Also, almost all of our clients do not have to go to school nor do they get points on their driver's license.