Have You Gotten A Traffic Ticket?

With all the construction going on especially at the bottom of Chapman Mountain near the intersection of Moores Mill and Highway 72, it may be a good time to review how the traffic ticket process works.

We all dread those blue lights flashing in our rear view mirror. We fear the piece of paper the officer hands us as we are cited for one or more traffic violations.

Receiving a Traffic Ticket

It's your first traffic ticket. You've heard all sorts of horror stories. Relax. Help has arrived!

At the bottom of the citation the officer has given you, there is an "action due date." This is your court appearance date. You have several options before this date. Some of your choices don't even require you to go to court.

A week to 10 days after your ticket, your local Traffic Court will have your ticket ready for processing. Be patient, it takes time for the ticket to be processed. Once it has been processed, but before your appearance date, you can do one of the following:

• Plead guilty by paying the fines and fees

• Plead not guilty and request a trial date before a Traffic Court judge

If you choose to plead guilty, you can pay all violation charges and fees in one of several ways. You can pay your tickets online using the Alabama Public Safety Web site. You can also pay by telephone through an Interactive Voice Response System, by mail, or in person at the Court Clerk's office. Just make sure whichever option you choose is completed before your appearance date.

If you choose to plead not guilty and request a trial date, you will do this on your first appearance date. If you need to change the date of court, you can do so before the appearance date by phone or in person at the Court Clerk's office.

If you take no action before the appearance date set on your ticket, your information will be sent to the Department of Public Safety and your license will be suspended. An arrest warrant may also be issued. Additional fees will be placed on your fine that must be paid before your license can be reinstated.

To learn about ticket violations or court locations and addresses in specific Alabama counties, visit the Alabama Traffic Service Center Web site or call 1-877-252-7294.

NOTE: If you receive a speeding ticket in a construction zone and workers are present, you must appear in court.

Do you need a lawyer to handle your traffic ticket? Well, that's up to you. You can engage the services of a lawyer that specializes in traffic tickets and sometime they can help you beat the ticket. Why pay a lawyer the same or more than the ticket to beat a ticket? Because many times there are financial costs beyond the ticket like increased auto insurance rates and the like. You have to look at the whole picture to see if hiring a lawyer for your traffic ticket is right for you.

Points

Alabama, like other states, assign points to traffic violations. Those points will be put on your driving record. Points can raise your auto insurance rates or cause your license to be suspended or revoked.

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Thanks to DMV.org for this info!