traffic tickets can raise insurance premiums. moving violations such as speeding, running a red light, running a stop sign, or carpool lane violations can increase the insurance points (the insurance company’s internal rating system) that affect auto insurance rates.

here are the options after receiving a moving violation traffic ticket:

• pay the full fine and receive the dmv point resulting in an increase in car insurance rates.
• pay the full fine and pay the additional fee to go to traffic school if you qualify. then attend traffic school (this can be done online). the result is that auto insurance premiums should not increase since the point is not reported to the DMV.
• fight the ticket in person and have the judge decide the outcome without the officer present
  • win: you may not pay a fine, or you may pay a small fine and get no points
  • lose: you should ask for traffic school. you may be able to pay more in fines to receive no points-if offered this then take it! increased insurance rates can be more than this one time fee.
• fight the ticket in person and have the officer come in person to testify against you
  • the officer doesn’t show up – you win! a small administrative fee or no fee, and no points since there is no conviction and no DMV points.
  • win: you may not pay a fine, or you may pay a small fine and get no points
  • lose: you should ask for traffic school. you may be able to pay more in fines to receive no points-if offered this then take it! increased insurance rates can be more than this one time fee.
• fight the ticket by mail
  • no response from the officer or the officer does not respond on time: you win! no fee and no DMV points.
  • win: you may not pay a fine, or you may pay a small fine and get no points
  • lose: you may pay a fine or a reduced fine and traffic school is usually offered if eligible. take traffic school to retain the cheapest auto insurance.
  • lose: you can request to have a trial with the officer present (see above).

the best odds of beating a traffic ticket start with the trial by mail first. the option still exists to call in the officer for a full traffic violation trial in front of a potentially different judge if the results from the trial by mail are not good enough. the trial by mail can result in a DMV traffic point conviction with a reduced fine which may be an acceptable outcome.