Fighting traffic tickets in the San Antonio area: Why and how you should
More than 90 percent of drivers who receive a traffic ticket simply pay the fine and move on with their lives. But is it wise to do so when you might be able to successfully fight a traffic ticket in court? Many people do not realize that something as seemingly innocuous as a traffic ticket can have lasting consequences. If you have been cited for speeding, failure to yield, driving without insurance or any other type of traffic violation, you should take into consideration the potential benefits of fighting your ticket in court.
Why fight a traffic ticket
The most obvious reason to fight a traffic ticket is the fine associated with it. Still, you may think just paying a fine of a couple hundred dollars may be worth it to take care of the problem without putting any of your time or money into fighting the ticket. But have you considered other costs of a traffic ticket?
If you do not contest a traffic ticket and it goes on your record, your car insurance premiums will likely go up. According to Bankrate.com, after a second traffic ticket the average motorist’s insurance premiums go up by 25 percent, resulting in an average loss of $700 over three years.
Simply paying a traffic ticket also means that you will accumulate points against your driving privileges. Under the Texas point system, motorists accrue various point totals for different kinds of moving violations. Enough points, and you forfeit your driving privileges. It takes fewer violations than you might think to lose your driver’s license; successfully fighting your ticket is the only way to ensure you do not receive points on your license.
How to fight a traffic ticket
Did you wonder if it was worth your time and money to fight a traffic ticket in court? Well, government officials are wondering the same thing, only in their case it probably really is not worth the effort. Government entities make a great deal of money on traffic tickets, but only if the business model of writing many tickets that simply get paid, no questions asked, holds up. Prosecutors and judges do not want to spend any more time than necessary with contested traffic tickets.
Traffic tickets are a volume business for the police. Most officers write dozens of tickets in a week. When you fight yours, there is always the chance that the officer will be too busy to show up to court at all, particularly if you have had your trial date pushed back from when it was originally scheduled. This is very favorable for your case.
You may be also able to take advantage of a technical reading of the law. By breaking the elements of your offense into individual pieces, you may be able to show that one or more of them were not fulfilled in your case.
Of course, there is the issue of properly functioning equipment. For instance, was the radar gun used to clock your speed properly recalibrated, as is required every 30 to 60 days?
The bottom line is that there are a variety of possible defenses you may be able to use in order to beat your traffic ticket. Taking on this fight can be well worth it in the long run; you’re unlikely to find an investment with better returns than paying for a legal defense that successfully beats a traffic ticket. Talk to a San Antonio traffic ticket defense attorney today to learn more and to explore your legal options.