4 Things You Need to Do Immediately After Getting A Serious Traffic Citation
Traffic tickets are issued every single day. Most of us don’t think about what we would do if we’re issued one, until the day that it actually happens. If you’ve received a traffic citation for a serious violation, like driving with a suspended license, drag racing, or fleeing from law enforcement, here are four things that you should do immediately afterward.
Take A Breather
Before you make any rash decisions about how you want to proceed forward, it’s best to take a minute to think about the violation. It’s a good idea to immediately write down what was said during your conversation with the officer, particularly if you think there was some wrongdoing on their part. This way, you can recall all the details later on. If you leave the details to your memory, it’s likely that you’ll forget details about your conversation as time passes. Once you have the information down, you can let your brain relax for just a minute.
Decide Your Course Of Action
When you get a serious traffic citation, there are three courses of action you can take. First, you can pay the ticket and deal with the points that come along with it. Second, you can fight the ticket with the help of a traffic ticket lawyer if you believe that you have a solid case to get the ticket dropped. Lastly, you can opt for mitigation. This is when you admit to the ticket and simply explain the circumstances that resulted in you getting the ticket. If the judge decides to be lenient, this can result in a lower ticket fine or an alternative option for your retribution.
See If Traffic School Is An Option
In some select states, you can be given the option of attending a traffic school to keep the violation off of your record. This school may also be referred to as a driving safety class or defensive driving class. This can be a great alternative to reporting the violation officially to your record and being hit with hikes in your auto insurance policy. In particular, if your job depends on driving this may be the option you want to go with. Depending on the laws in your state, you’ll have to pay for the traffic school and you may be responsible for the charges of the citation as well.
Alter Your Future Behavior
Getting a traffic citation should alert you to a lapse in your ability to follow the traffic laws. It’s best to assess what you did wrong to receive the violation and if that is something you do habitually as a driver. Then, come up with a remedy for avoiding that behavior in the future. This way, you can avoid receiving any more citations for that specific violation in the future.
Getting a serious traffic citation can be a scary experience. There are many things that you should do afterward to ensure your safety, security, and well-being in the future. The above are four of the main steps that you should take immediately afterward.
