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What Is a Civil Traffic Ticket vs a Criminal Traffic Ticket

What Is a Civil Traffic Ticket vs a Criminal Traffic Ticket

There are two types of traffic tickets you can obtain. The first is a civil traffic ticket, which means you’ve committed a civil traffic violation. The second type is much more serious and is called a criminal traffic ticket. You will receive a criminal ticket if it’s deemed that your conduct constitutes a criminal traffic violation. While each state has its own specific requirements for what constitutes a criminal versus a civil traffic ticket, there are similarities across all 50 states. Here are some of the facts that tend to be true regardless of which state you’re driving in.

Civil Traffic Tickets

Civil traffic tickets are the kind you get when you commit minor infractions. If you go through a stop sign, make an illegal U-turn, or get caught driving a few miles per hour over the speed limit, you’ll likely get a civil traffic ticket.

For most people, a civil traffic ticket comes with hefty fines and, in some cases, mandatory court appearances. You’ll also be subjected to higher insurance fees, points against your license, and other penalties if you choose to pay the ticket or are found guilty. While many people pay these tickets, fighting them with the help of an attorney can spare you a lot of time and money.

However, regardless of how you choose to handle the ticket, civil tickets are more of an expensive inconvenience than anything else. Criminal traffic tickets, on the other hand, are far more serious.

Criminal Traffic Tickets

If you’re charged with a criminal traffic violation, it’s usually a very serious allegation. Criminal tickets are given for things like reckless endangerment, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, committing a hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident, and vehicular manslaughter. You can also get a criminal ticket if you drive on a revoked or suspended license. In some states, driving more than 15 miles per hour over the speed limit constitutes a criminal offense.

For those who are convicted of a criminal traffic ticket a court appearance is almost always mandatory. Not only will you be exposed to hefty fines, but you can also face jail time, license suspension or revocation, vehicle impoundment, and other serious repercussions.

How to Handle a Civil vs a Criminal Traffic Ticket

No matter what kind of ticket you get, you should seek the help of a qualified traffic attorney in your state. Even a civil traffic ticket can lead to expensive and long-lasting consequences. Your insurance rates can skyrocket, and they can stay there for years. Additionally, the points against your license can add up quickly and put you at risk for license suspension. It’s always best to gather whatever evidence you can at the scene where you were stopped, especially eyewitness information and photographs. You may have a good shot at overturning your ticket and keeping your driving record intact.

For criminal traffic ticket recipients, you’ll almost always have to go to court. When you’re facing such serious accusations and charges, it’s critical to have a competent legal professional at your side. Whether you need a DUI attorney or a traffic lawyer, it’s important to get the specific help you need so you have the best chance of obtaining the most beneficial outcome possible. Having the help of a qualified attorney in your state can often result in drastically reduced fines or prison sentences. It can even keep you out of jail in some cases.

Ticket Void Can Help

At Ticket Void, we’ve worked for years with drivers just like you. We help pair you with a qualified attorney in your area who is vetted and capable of helping you with your specific case. By entering just a few pieces of information about your case, we can find and email you the information of an attorney near you who is best suited to help you with your case. The initial consultation is free, so what do you have to lose? Get started today, and exercise your right to fight.

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