Florida Traffic Tickets

Reduce your fine & prevent points from being placed on your FL license

Over the past few years, the annual number of traffic accidents in Florida has averaged in excess of 250,000. These accidents result in approximately 3,000 fatalities and over 200,000 injuries yearly. Understanding the consequences of reckless driving habits cannot be overstressed, and the stringent traffic laws of Florida are meant not only as a deterrent to poor driving habits, but as a reminder that all people who operate motor vehicles do so as a privilege extended to them, and not as a right.

The Most Common Traffic Citations Issued

In Florida, over 4 million traffic tickets are issued annually, the most common being infractions resulting in a speeding ticket, citations for non-use of safety belts, and improper driving maneuvers. Speed tickets issued by local, county and state enforcement are the largest source of income derived from driving infractions in Florida. These citations can be very expensive, depending on the infraction and the seriousness of the violation. Speeding tickets, for instance, carry a heavier penalty than a turn violation, and driving in excess of 30 MPH over the speed limit is more costly than driving at 10 MPH over the limit. Other common Florida traffic tickets include those for child safety restraint violations, running red lights, and DUI offenses. Approximately 35,000 drivers are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol each year. There are limits in the state of Florida concerning penalty amounts, however the law provides individual county jurisdictions to set upper limits not to exceed the state maximum, and also to double the maximum fines when infractions occur in a school zone or construction zone.

Options For Satisfying A Traffic Ticket

Florida traffic tickets are issued with the following conditions. Those who receive a citation for moving violations and driving without proper insurance are required by state law to satisfy the citation within a 30 day period. This can be accomplished in several ways. The driver can pay the fine in full, which results in a variable number of points issued against his/her drivers license. These points will be used by an insurance company to raise insurance rates or even cause a cancellation of a policy. The driver may elect instead to request a court appearance, which offers a chance to explain the circumstances leading to the infraction(s). The court may determine that a lesser citation is in order, or may drop the infraction charge altogether. If the court determines that the infraction was committed as described on the original traffic ticket, the result will be compulsory payment of the fine, assessment of points to the drivers licence, require attendance and completion of a traffic course, or any combination of the above. Drivers may also satisfy their citations by volunteering to attend traffic school.

Provisions For Traffic School Completion

The voluntary attendance in a traffic school course will not only reduce the penalty amount of most citations, but also prevent the driver's auto insurance rates from increasing or a policy being cancelled. Upon completion of a state approved traffic school and the submission of the certificate to the court clerk in the county where the violation occurred, the driver is considered not guilty and no points are assessed to the drivers license. The amount by which the original civil penalty is reduced varies among individual counties. It should also be mentioned that insurance companies do retain the right to alter an insured driver's policy if monetary loss incurred by the insurer is a result of fault by the insured.
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DUI Offenses In Florida

These are not considered moving violations of the standard type, and carry much more severe penalties than those issued for speeding or other common infractions. In the state of Florida, under the Implied Consent Law, drivers who sign their license agree to submit to a blood, breath or urine test to determine possible influence of alcohol or drugs. If a request by a law enforcement officer is refused, an individual is immediately subject to a one-year suspension of his/her license. A first conviction for DUI carries a monetary penalty as high as $500, plus as many as 50 hours of community service.

Using A Law Firm To Fight A Traffic Ticket

In Florida there are several law firms that deal specifically with drivers intending to proclaim total innocence after being cited for a moving violation. A number of traffic tickets lawyers in Florida have teamed up to form these law firms, an example of which is The Ticket Clinic, with numerous offices throughout the state. Their attorneys are experts in defending traffic violations in court, or acting as a defense against suspension or revoking of an individual's license. Their fees are nominal, far less than the traffic fine itself, and represent not only operators of private vehicles, but company drivers as well. In most cases the driver need not even appear in court.