One moment you may be driving to your home, to work, to run errands or around town, and the next you could see the flashing lights of a police vehicle in your rearview mirror. When law enforcement is trying to pull you over, it is because they suspect you of committing a crime or violating a traffic law. Common traffic violations include speeding, reckless driving, failure to yield and more.
These types of violations could lead to certain types of penalties that could impact multiple areas of your life. Depending on the nature of the specific offense, a traffic violation could lead to a traffic ticket or a citation. It is helpful to know if there is any difference between these, the potential penalties associated with them and what you can do to protect your interests if you find yourself with a ticket.
Moving violations and breaking traffic laws
A ticket and a citation are essentially the same things. This is a written record of a driver breaking a traffic law while operating a vehicle or after parking the vehicle. While tickets typically come from a police officer in person, it is possible that you could get a ticket in the mail as a result of a red-light camera or speeding camera. Tickets and citations typically come with penalties that could include an expensive fine, required court appearance, license suspension and higher insurance rates. In cases involving a serious violation, a driver could even face jail time.
Common reasons for tickets and citations include moving violations, such as speeding, drunk driving, failure to signal, running a red light and more. The severity of traffic violation penalties depends on the nature of the offense. For example, drunk driving will carry the potential for more severe penalties than failing to use your blinker when you were turning.
Should you pay?
Most Kentucky drivers believe that the simplest and smartest thing they can do after receiving a ticket or citation is just to pay the fee and move on. However, this is not always the case. Depending on the number of previous violations and other factors, you may benefit from fighting back. While this is not always successful, it may help you avoid some of the penalties you are currently facing. Before you pay, you can seek an opinion regarding the specific options available to you.
