Traffic tickets are a common occurrence for drivers everywhere. Municipalities and counties in Washington State and across the country issue thousands of these tickets every week. These include moving violations, such as speeding tickets, and non-moving violations, such as driving with a broken headlight. While traffic infractions are not criminal offenses, they can still impact your life in many ways, from adding citations to your driving record, increasing the amount you pay for your insurance, to having your license suspended.
If you believe your traffic ticket was issued unfairly or if your license is at risk due to a ticket, Clark Law, P.L.L.C. can help. We have represented countless drivers throughout the greater Spokane area in traffic court for infractions, as well as in criminal court for more serious traffic offenses, such as DUI, reckless driving, and more. Our skilled trial lawyer can advise you about your case, educate you on your options, and act as your advocate in court to fight traffic violations of all kinds.
Request a free case review with our Spokane traffic infractions attorney. Fill out our online request form or call (509) 800-5420 today.
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You have 15 days to respond to your traffic ticket. When doing so, you have the following options:
1. You can pay for your ticket. This is an admission of guilt that will put the ticket on your record and likely increase your insurance.
2. You can contest the ticket. If you win, this will keep it off your record and can eliminate or reduce the fine. The ticket could also be amended to a different infraction that might be advantageous for you.
3. You can request a mitigation hearing. This means you will be admitting guilt, but you will have the opportunity to defend yourself in court. Results of a mitigation hearing may be a fine reduction.
4. You can defer your ticket. This option is available once every seven years. Your ticket will be removed from your record, providing you pay the necessary fee, and avoid any further tickets over the next year. Our advice is to only use this option as a last resort.
Common Traffic Violations in Spokane Valley & Spokane County
While Washington does not operate on a points system, traffic infractions that are moving violations will go on your driving record and raise your auto insurance premiums. If you are ticketed too many times over a specific time period, The Department of Licensing (DOL) has the option of sending you a warning letter or suspending your license. Warning letters will give you a one-year period in which you must not receive any new tickets, or your license will be suspended.
For example, if you receive six moving violations within 12 months, you are at risk of a license suspension. Following your suspension, you will be subject to one-year probation. During this period, if you receive additional tickets, your license will be suspended for 30 days for each ticket, after which your one-year probation period will begin again.
Examples of moving violations can include:
Speeding
Failure to stop
Failure to yield
Improper lane change
Negligent driving, in the second degree
Improper turning
Improper passing
Use of an electronic device while driving
These tickets will stay on your record for five years, and the DOL can include tickets you received in other states.
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