Getting a traffic ticket typically results in a ding on your driving record, a hit on your bank account in the form of fines and increased insurance rates, and even jail time depending on circumstances. There are several things you can do to beat a ticket, but one sure way is to graduate from traffic school. Unfortunately, not everyone is accepted in or granted access to this program. Here are three reasons why you may be denied.
You Were Excessively Speeding
Approximately 112,000 people receive speeding tickets every day. They're surprisingly easy to get. With so many distractions inside and outside the vehicle—cell phone, passengers—it's not unusual for people to overlook how fast they are driving or blow past a speed limit sign with a lead foot on the pedal. How much you were going over the speed limit, though, can affect your eligibility for traffic school.
In Michigan, going 16 mph or more over the speed limit will garner you a 4-point ticket, for instance. To be eligible for traffic school, the citation you receive must be 3 points or less. In this case, you would need to either somehow get the number of points on the ticket reduced or use other means to fight the citation.
Not all states use this as an eligibility requirement, and the number of miles per hour you can drive over the speed limit before being disqualified from the program will vary depending on where you live. Therefore, it's best to research the laws in your area to determine what the speed limit cutoff point is.
You Were Doing Something Illegal
Another thing that may disqualify you from traffic school is if you received the citation because of or in addition to doing something illegal. For example, if you received a citation for speeding while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, some states will deny your request to eliminate the ticket through traffic school.
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, the crime may have punishments that automatically fall into place when you are caught. For instance, your license can be suspended for 6 months in Maryland for a first-offense DUI. These automatic sanctions may limit what the judge can do for you in your case.
The second reason is there may already be a rehabilitation program available for the criminal offense. In many states, for instance, you can avoid being convicted of driving under the influence by completing a drug and alcohol program. The laws in the state may prevent you from participating in both the rehab program and traffic school, or the judge may feel that making you go through the rehab program is more important that letting you eliminate a ticket with a driving course.
You May Be Barred By Time
Some states set time limits on when and/or how often you can use traffic school to dodge a ticket. To be eligible for traffic school in Oregon, you can't have completed the program within the prior three years. Additionally, you cannot have had any other traffic citations in that same time period.
Time limitations can be difficult to overcome but, in some areas, you don't necessarily have to be ordered to go through traffic school by a judge when you go to court. Sometimes you can apply for this option at a later date. Therefore, you may be able to simply run out the clock and get the ticket or points eliminated later on.
There may be other things that can prevent you from being admitted into traffic school. Contact a traffic law attorney for help with this issue or with defending against a citation.
