A Florida traffic ticket is something that will eventually be issued to any person who resides in and drives inside the state of Florida. People sometimes forget that paying a traffic ticket isn’t always the best option because traffic offenses are so common and rarely lead to a criminal record. Paying a traffic ticket can cost a lot more money in the long run than contesting it would have.
Here are two justifications to challenge your next traffic ticket.
Increase in Insurance Premiums
The point value of each ticket is often overlooked. Your insurance rates will increase proportionally to the number of points accrued on your driving record as a result of moving violations. Your driving record will be negatively affected by each ticket, adding between three and six points. That means a single ticket may increase your premium by as much as $600 a year, or 20%. Since the payments are spread out across a year, most people don’t bother about it, but after three and five years, it can amount to about $1,000.
License Suspended
If you accumulate enough points in Florida, the state will take away your driving privileges. With just 12 points, your license will be suspended. Many people wrongly believe that accumulating 12 points on their driving record is a significant obstacle. It’s not if you think about how many tickets can be issued at once. There is a four-point fine for speeding. If you’re late for work and speed and switch lanes abruptly, you could get an extra 3 points, and 4 points for reckless driving. The minimum number of violations required to result in license suspension is one failure to come to a complete stop at a stop sign within a 12-month period (11 points).
If you have a traffic ticket you would like to fight, such as a speeding ticket, contact a Miami traffic attorney. If you have reason to believe you unfairly received a red light ticket, contact a red light camera violation attorney.