If you’ve gotten a traffic ticket lately, you may be trying to decide whether or not going to traffic school is a good idea. With the economy in flux and people worried about every penny they spend, it may seem like a good idea to just pay the fine and forego the extra cost of a traffic school. But sometimes spending a little extra money can save you a lot more money in the long run. In order to help you make the decision, here are a few things that you might want to consider.

There are several consequences to getting a traffic ticket and each much be weighed when deciding whether going to traffic school may be beneficial. Some are obvious, but others are not so obvious.

Fines – This is the most obvious consequence of a traffic ticket. Fines differ from state to state and from county to county.

Points –Driving infractions usually have a point value added and, if you accumulate too many points in a set period of time, your license will be suspended.

Insurance – Insurance companies are very risk-averse and won’t hesitate to increase your insurance rates once they are informed of your traffic ticket. Many states have laws that prevent insurance companies from raising their rates for a driver who attends driving school.

Safe Driver status – Some states reward drivers with a safe driving record with a “Safe Driver” status which allows the driver to renew less frequently than those without the safe driver status.

What type of driver are you? When it comes to traffic tickets, there are basically two types of drivers:

Moderate drivers - These drivers rarely get a ticket but, due to inattention or stress, may find themselves driving a bit too fast and see those dreaded blue lights in the rear view mirror. A driver in this position probably isn’t worried about accumulating points and may decide to just live with the points, assuming that they probably won’t get enough points to risk having their license suspended. While true, these drivers could see their insurance rates go up, eventually costing them much more over the long run than the cost of a driving school. Those drivers may also lose their safe driver status, requiring them to renew their license more often.

Aggressive drivers – These drivers probably get at least two or more tickets per year. One more ticket could put this driver over the point limit, resulting in a suspended license. After completing their suspension period, these drivers may be required by the state DMV or court to attend an extended driving school before they can reinstate their license. The advanced school is much longer and costs much more than a typical driving school. While their insurance rates are probably already pretty high, attending the driving school will prevent them from going up any higher. In an already tough economy, losing your license could turn a shaky job situation into a no-job situation.

Drivers tend to develop negative driving behaviors over time and a traffic school provides a chance to re-evaluate your driving behaviors and look at them from a different perspective. They also can provide you with some valuable tips for avoiding those negative behaviors and, at the same time, update you on new driving laws that you might not be aware of.

Obviously, the best choice is to not get a ticket to begin with. Drivers should be aware that the stresses of the economy can increase your chances of getting a ticket. Stressed drivers tend to allow themselves to be distracted from the very important job of paying attention to their driving. Stress may also lead to aggressive driving behaviors that cause drivers to take more chances than they might otherwise take. Being aware of these issues and trying to put the distractions of the economy aside when you are behind the wheel will make you a safer driver, and safer drivers tend to avoid getting tickets.

Labels: traffic school, traffic ticket

View Full Post posted by The National Safety Commission : 12:44 PM

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Some drivers, after receiving a speeding ticket, complain that the speed limits are unreasonable and impossible to obey, while others go even further to claim that the speed laws are just a scheme concocted by the government to make money. The truth is that, for the most part, speed limits are set by traffic engineers to move the greatest amount of traffic at the highest safest speed. If that weren't the case, traffic gridlock would be even worse than it is.

Several different factors go into setting speed limits; the size and condition of the road, the amount of traffic the road is expected to carry, and things that adjoin the road such as schools or shopping centers. Speed limits are always set for ideal conditions. Speed limits can't take extraordinary conditions such as rain, snow, ice, or fog into account and it is these types of conditions that get drivers into a lot of trouble.

In November 2007 a foggy California highway became the scene of a massive pile up involving 108 vehicles and 18 big rigs resulting in two deaths. State authorities blamed excessive speed in foggy conditions for the pile-up.

Drivers tend to take the speed limit as gospel, often forgetting the other factors that go into determining what a safe speed should be. The posted speed limit doesn't mean that it is the safe limit. Drivers should travel at a speed lower than the posted speed limit when:

Visibility is limited - Many drivers don't realize just how much ground their vehicle is covering at high speeds. A car traveling at 60 mph is covering almost 90 feet per second. At that speed it takes up to 300 feet to bring a car to a complete stop. At 60 mph, if you can't see more than 300 feet ahead, you are driving too fast for conditions. Your speed should be set so that your vehicle can be brought to a stop within your sight distance or the distance covered by your headlights. Higher speeds mean that, by the time you see a hazard ahead and react to it, it is too late to stop in time to avoid a crash. Visibility is limited at night, in fog, snow, and when the sun is rising or setting in front of your vehicle. Dark country roads are the most dangerous of all roads. Many of the deaths on these types of roads happen when the driver is over-driving their headlights, encounter a curve and are unable to keep their car on the road.

Rain - The roads are most slippery just after the rain starts. Accumulated oil and grease on the road rises above the thin film of water creating an oil slick that can cause you to lose control. The rain will eventually wash the oil off the road but that takes time.

Standing water - Water standing on the road can be too deep for your tire treads to effectively squeeze out the water. As a result, your car's tires can rise up on top of the water and "hydroplane" across the surface of the water like water skis. Hydroplaning can start at speeds as low as 35 mph and becomes most dangerous at speeds of 55 mph or higher. Slow down when you encounter standing water on the road.

Snow and ice - Snow and ice are particularly treacherous. Packed snow can turn into ice. Ice accumulated on the road when the temperature is hovering right around the freezing mark can turn slushy and becomes especially treacherous. Most experts say that speed should be cut by half when traveling on packed snow or ice. Remember that bridges with freezing temperatures both above and below the surface freeze first.

Remember, even if you are traveling at or below the speed limit, you can still get a ticket for driving too fast for conditions.

Learn more by visiting SafeDriver.com's Dangers of Speeding course online.

Labels: driver safety, speeding, traffic ticket

View Full Post posted by DriverSchool : 4:05 PM

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Could your driving behavior help your state meet its budget shortfalls? With the US economy going down the tubes, state and local governments are looking for ways to pay for government services without raising taxes. One thing that many are looking at as a revenue source is traffic fines.

Recent news reports show that a state Senate committee approved a new bill to increase all Florida traffic fines by $10.00 and to raise some speeding fines by $25.00. For example, the fine for 15-19 miles per hour above the limit would increase from $125 to $150. The same committee also voted to end the 18% break that Florida drivers get on their traffic fines when they attend driving school. In addition to the state fines, local governments can also tack on their own fees making their cost even higher. The state of Florida anticipates raising up to $16 million to meet budget shortfalls. If approved by the full legislature, these new fines could go into effect as early as February 1st.

A quick search of news articles shows that local governments in San Jose California, Tulsa Oklahoma, and Richmond Hill Georgia have already or are considering raising traffic fines to pay for various government programs. The small community of Richmond Hill anticipates that the added fees will generate around $20,000 to pay for internet service inside their police cars. In California, speeding drivers who request a driving school to keep their insurance rates down saw that fee rise from $24 to $94 after January 1st.

Two years ago, to pay for roads and highway expenses, Virginia increased their traffic fines astronomically. In addition to traffic fines, Virginia has imposed “civil penalties” on Virginia residents who break certain traffic laws. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit is $1,050; this is in addition to $61 in court costs and a fine of approximately $200. Violators must pay these penalties within three installments or risk suspension of their driver’s license.

The old saying goes that the only thing you can depend on in life is death and taxes but apparently some taxes can be avoided. Unlike income or property taxes that we can’t avoid paying, it is relatively easy to avoid paying these new taxes; just obey the traffic laws. Drivers who choose to disobey the traffic laws aren’t going to get a whole lot of sympathy when faced with these increased fines. And it isn’t like these are really obscure traffic laws that no one knows about. Speed limit signs are posted in clear sight. Traffic lights aren’t rocket science; you either have a green light or you don’t. So, if you are being hit hard by the economy, it doesn’t make much sense to add to the problem by choosing to break the traffic laws.

For more information on driving safety and avoiding traffic fines visit our website at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com/

Labels: driving safety, speeding ticket, traffic fines, traffic laws, traffic ticket

So, you got caught and received a traffic ticket. You are probably angry and frustrated about having to pay a fine and wondering if you have any options. Before you go to traffic court, let’s take a look at what those options may be. These options may differ from state to state but with the internet, you now have more choices than ever.

Going to court - The first question you have to ask yourself here is; are you actually guilty of the offense? Most drivers, although they hate to admit it, are actually guilty of the offense for which they received the ticket. There is a lot of rationalization such as: “I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic” or “Everyone else was doing the same thing”. If “everyone else was doing it”, it may not seem fair but the officer can only stop one person at a time and it was your turn. If you were actually guilty, then going to court probably isn’t a good idea. You may wind up with an even greater fine along with court costs.
If you weren’t guilty of the offense and you can provide evidence that supports your claim, then you may have a case. If it is just your word versus the officer’s, then the officer’s word will probably carry greater weight. Remember, the judge has heard it all before.

Just paying your fine and letting it go - This is the choice a lot of drivers make but it does have drawbacks. If you admit guilt and just pay the fine, in most states, there will be points assessed against your driving record. Those points can add up and, if you get too many, you may find yourself with a suspended license, and your insurance rates can also increase.

Attending traffic school - Most states have an option that allows you to attend a traffic school to avoid points on your license or an insurance premium increase. If you are guilty of the offense, this is probably the best option for you. Remember though that most states place a limit on how many times you can attend a traffic school (usually no more than once a year) and place a time limit on completing the course. You will still have to pay your traffic fine but you may find that you receive a discount on your fine for electing traffic school. A couple of states actually allow you to attend traffic school voluntarily and bank points against a future ticket.

Options for traffic school – With the internet you now have two options for attending traffic school. Most states now allow you to attend traffic school online. This is a great option for people who lead busy lives and don’t want to devote a block of hours to attending a class. Online schools normally allow you to take the course at a time that is most convenient for you; completing it a little bit at a time as your schedule allows.

Using the Clerk of the Court to explore your options – Many county Clerks of the Court are now online and allow you to pay your fine and choose a traffic school from a list of approved schools. A simple Google search can point you to your county clerk’s web site.

To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com./

Labels: speeding ticket, traffic school, traffic ticket