Traffic Ticket Options in Florida
Receiving a traffic ticket is never a pleasant experience. Now that you have one, what are your options? How long do you have to make your decision? Should you take a 4 hour traffic ticket class?
First, you need to consider the Points associated with your violation and the financial consequences of accepting the Points. Points are important for two reasons.
- You receive Points for all moving violations in Florida. Any Points on your Drivers Record will typically cause your Insurance Rates to go up. How much depends on your age, total points on your record and a few other factors.
- If you accumulate too many Points, your License will be suspended. Points stay on your record for 3 years. See our Points and Driving Privilege's Suspensions Page for how many points over a time period will cause your license to be suspended.
Now that we know why Points are important, you have three options available to you. You will need to make a decision about what you intend to do and notify the County Court with 30 days of receiving your citation.
Option 1 -- Accept the Points and Pay the Full Fine
If you take this option, you will pay the full amount of the fine and the points associated with the citation go on your driving record for 36 months. Additionally, while you do not have to appear in Traffic Court, you are automatically adjudicated "Guilty".
Option 2 -- Attend a Defensive Driving School Class and Pay a Reduced Fine
You pay a discounted fine (for most violations) and select the Defensive Driving School Option (commonly called Traffic Safety School). This will notify the court you will be attending a qualified School like the ADES Center to take your 4 hour Traffic Ticket Class (officially known as the 4 Hour BDI Class) and no points are added to your record.
Florida gives you an added incentive for selecting the DDS Option. By State Law, attending a Traffic Safety School prohibits your insurance company from raising your rates or refusing to renew your policy if there was no accident.
Keep in mind, when you choose the Traffic School Option, you must attend and successfully complete the 4 hour traffic ticket class within 60 days of your citation. (Some Florida Counties permit 90 days - check with your County Courts Offices). Upon completion of the class, you simply provide the Completion Certificate to the Traffic Court.
The ADES Center recommends you attend a Florida Traffic School Class within the first 30 days of receiving your ticket. This will allow you to pay the discounted fine (up to 18%) and provide a Defensive Driving School Course Completion Certificate with your payment.
Option 3 -- Go to Traffic Court
You notify the County within 30 days of your citation that you want to attend Traffic Court. On your scheduled day of Arraignment, you will have the opportunity to enter a Plea of "Not Guilty", "Guilty", or "No Contest". If you decide to plea "Not Guilty" at Arraignment, you return to court on another day for the judge to hear testimony from the Police Officer and yourself.
Attending a Florida Traffic School is typically your smartest choice financially. Accepting the Points will cause most insurance companies to raise your rates from 10% to 25%, and you will continue to pay that increase for 3 years.
Consider this. If you currently pay $1,000.00 per year ($83.33 per month) for insurance and your rates are increased 15%, you will pay an additional $150.00 per year. Over a 3 year period it will cost you $450.00 or more in additional insurance payments if you accept the points.
Traffic School -- It's the smart choice! Don't compound your financial costs when you receive a ticket. Attending a 4 hour class saves you money on the fine, plus Florida Law guarantees your insurance rates can not be increased because of your traffic ticket .. if there was no accident. If there was an accident, call your Insurance Company. Many will raise your rates less if you go to a class, plus you get the benefit of no points being added to your record.
