Traffic School California - TrafficSchoolToGo course provider

Q&A



1. How do I know which type of Traffic Ticket I have?
   

   
   In California, there are several traffic violations for which you can receive traffic tickets. The following is the three general types of citations:

   Parking Ticket:

   if you received a parking ticket, this is not filed with the court. Any fines you may have that relate to damaged vehicle equipment may be listed on the ticket. You must pay this ticket or the fines will increase and you may not be able to renew your vehicle registration. Contact the parking ticket agency on the ticket for iformation about what to do.

   Infraction Traffic Ticket:

   This ticket may have been issued to you for breaking speed laws, traffic laws, running red lights, etc. If a police officer pulls you over for breaking California Traffic Law they can charge you with an infraction. You may also be asked to sign the ticket, which is called the "Notice to Appear". In addition, if you do not have proof of car insurance, you can be charged with an infraction for operation a motor vehicle without proof of insurance.

   Misdemeanor Traffic Ticket:

   If you are charged with a misdemeanor traffic ticket this a more serious offense. You can be charged with a misdemeanor for driving withou a license, or on a suspended license. If these charges do not involve alcohol or drugs, you may be asked to sign the ticket or the "Notice to Appear".

2. What do I do if I get an infraction Traffic Ticket?
   

   
   You may have to sign a "Notice to Appear", by signing the ticket. This does not mean you are guilty. It Simply means you promise to go to court or pay the fine.

   What if I don't want to go to court?

   If you don't want to go to court you can:

   • Ask the court if you can plead guilty and:
     • Pay the fine by mail
     • Pay to go to Traffic School
     • Have a trial by mail

   
   If you plead guilty and pay the fine, you will get points on your driving record and your car insurance premiums may increase.

   
   However, if you don't go to court or pay the fine, your license can be suspended and the court can charge you with a misdemeanor and issue a warrant for your arrest.

3. What is a Notice to Appear?
   

   
   The Notice to Appear, or act of signing the infraction or misdemeanor traffic ticket, is not the same thing as admitting you are guilty. The Notice to Appear is simply a promise to appear in court or pay the fine.

4. How much will I have to pay for an infraction Ticket?
   

   
   The fine for infraction can be $370 or more.

5. Do I get points on my driving record even if I pay my fine?
   

   
   You may still receive points on you record unless the court allows you to take traffic school. In this instance, If you turn in your proof of completion of the approved traffic school before the deadline, you should not receive any points.

   
   Remember, points on your driving record can increase your insurance premiums or, your policy could be cancelled all together.

6. How do I know if I can take Traffic School?
   

   
   The court should be able to tell you whether or not traffic school is an option and what schools are approved.

   • You should not get any points on your record if:
     • This is your first ticket
     • The courts allows you to go to traffic school
7. Where can I find the traffic laws for California?
   

   
   The link below provides online access to the California Driver's Manual, Vehicle Code book and a list of all of the traffic laws and driving rules in California.

   http://public.findlaw.com/traffic-ticket-violation-law/state-traffic-law/california-traffic-law.html

8. Where can I find the court contact information?
   http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/find.htm

   
   For more information about traffic citations and court procedure, visit:
   http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/traffic/common.htm

9. My court is not on your list, can I still take your taffic school?
   
   Possibly. You must contact the judge ( or traffic supervisor ) at your court to request special permission to take our program ( approved by over 140 other courts ). If you receive permission, then contact us to determine how to sign up.
10. how long will it take to get my certificate?
    
    The answer varies depending on the court that issued your ticket. For most courts, if you pass your Final Exam by 2 p.m. any day that the court is open, your certificate will be processed that same day.
    
    Note: Alameda, Kern, Kings, Madera, Monterey, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties will require identity verification to complete the Final Exam.

California Traffic School Questions

1. How much traffic school can one attend?
   
   The California Vehicle Code Section 1808.7 mandates that only one citation in an 18 month period be masked from public view on a driving record. The 18 month period is calculated from the citation/violation date, not the class attendance date.
   
2. If I go to traffic school, do I still get points on my license?
   
   After you pay the4 fine, points may show up on your DMV record unless you can go to traffic school. If the court allows you to attend a traffic school and you turn in your proof of completion of the class to the court before the dealine, the points should not show up on your record.
   
3. What is the dealine to go to traffic school in California
   
   Your traffic citation will be extended for 90 days to allow attendance and completion of the traffic school and dismissal of the citation.
   
4. If I pay the fine, do I still have to go to court?
   
   If you received a ticket for an infraction, you can most likely do everthing you need to do by mail. It is required that you go to court for a misdemmenaor, however. If you don't want to go to court, ask the court if you can plead guilty and pay the fine by mail, pay to go to traffic school, or have a trial by mail ( also called a "trial by written declaration" ). If you plead guilty and pay the fine, you will get points on your driving record and your car insruance payment will go up. If you don't go to court or pay the fine, your license will be suspended and the court can charge you with a misdemeanor and issue a warrant for your arrest.
   
5. If I pay the fine, do I still have to go to traffic school?
   
   To attend a traffic school, both the citation bail amount and a non-refundable administrative fee must be paid before the court allows enrollment. The traffic school charges an additional fee to attend the program. You can pay the fine without enrolling in a traffic school, but you will receive points on your driving record which may raise your car insurance rates.
   
6. What are my rights for a California speeding ticket/infraction?
   
   The Superior Court Traffic Services allows you to pay for a traffic ticket, request traffic school, request a 60-day extension from the court appearance date on the ticket or a 30-day extension to complete traffic school, request a court date, check on the status of a traffic ticket by the citation number or by a California driver's license number, or request a trial by Written Declaration.
   
   Generally, you are eligible to attend a traffic school and have the citation dismissed from your record upon completion of the class if you have not attended traffic school in the state of California in the past 18 months. Your courtesy notice will indicate whether or not you are eligible for the traffic school program.
   
7. Can I be arrested if I don't sign a traffic ticket in California
   
   Yes. A summons is an order to appear and your signature is a "promise to appear." You have two options: sign the ticket and go on your way, or not sign and go to jail for refusing to promise to appear. California Vehicle Code 40302 section (b) states: Whenever any person is arrested for any violation of the code, not declared to be a felony, the arrested person shall be taken without unnexessary delay before a magistrate within the county in which the offense charged is alleged to have been committed and who has jurisdiction of the offense and is nearest or most accessible with reference to the place where the arrest is made.
   
8. Can I go to traffic school if I don't sign a traffic ticket?
   
   It would depend on how many points were assessed for the particular violation. In the state of California, you are eligible to attend traffic school once every 18 months for a vehicle violation of one point.
   
9. Can I renew my registration with a speeding ticket on my record?
   
   The DMV will check when it is time to renew the registration on your vehicle to see if there are any outstanding issues. If a failure to pay or failure to appear is found, the DMV can refuse to renew your vehicle registration. Thos who do not pay the traffic fine within the authorized time period may have their driver's license suspended and usually will not be able to renew their vehicle registration until they have paid all outstanding parking ticket and administration fees in full.
   
10. Can you plead guilty to a speeding ticket in court?
    
    You may enter one of the following pleas:
    
    Guilty: you admit to the violation(s). You may still explain the circumstances to the judicial officer. Your appearance is necessary and will result in a conviction once you enter your plea.
    
    Not Guilty: You deny the violation(s) and want to appear with the citing officer present.
    
    No Contest: You neither admit nor deny the violation(s). This plea is treated the same as a guilty plea.
    
11. Do parking tickets increase insurance premiums?
    
    No, Parking tickets are not filed with the court. Don't go to or call the court unless the parking agency has decided on your case and you want to appeal the agency's decision.
    
12. Do you have to plead guilty to go to trafiic school?
    
    If you get a traffic ticket and you think that you are not guilty, go to court on the date and time listed on your ticket or on the notice the court mailed to you. In court, the judge or judicial officer will ask what you plea, guilty or not guilty. If you say that you are not guilty, the judge will give you a date for a trial. The judicial officer may also ask you to pay the fine. If you have a misdemeanor or felony case, the judicial officer will ask you if you have enough money to pay for a lawyer. If you do not, the court will give you a lawyer for your care. If the judge finds that you are, in fact, guilty, then he MAY give you the option of attending a traffic school. Otherwise, if you are found not guilty, your case will be dismissed and the court will return your fine with no points assessed.
    
13. How long do I have to pay the traffic ticket fine?
    
    Read you "Notice to Appear." There you will find the name of the court that will decide your case, the deadline to pay the ticket or go to court, and what you must do to respond to the ticket. If you were under the age of 18 when you received the ticket, this information may be sent to you later by the court.
    
    Note: Alameda, Kern, Kings, Madera, Monterey, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura countries will require identity verification to complete the final exam. TrafficSchoolToGo.com uses its proprietary network of proctored testing centers, administered by NIDD.com, to address this requirement. For further information, please visit www.Search.NIDD.com.