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Traffic violation fines in the USA

Every driver has unforeseen situations. Rules of the road are often violated by accident, through negligence or ignorance. And if in a familiar environment we know how to solve such questions, then in the US you may have difficulties with basic things — how to pay the fine, how to prove that you are right, how the driver’s responsibility is regulated.

We will describe how the American police work on the roads, how they fix violations and how to control their “image of morality” in the eyes of representatives of the law.

Types of sanctions

  • Warning

If the violation is not very serious, you are caught by a good-natured police officer, and you realize your puncture and tell the police officer “I will no longer”, then you can only get rid of the warning. True, a note about this will still be posted in the police base. The next violation after the warning is a ticket.

  • Fine

What are the fines and penalties for violation of traffic rules in the US — photo of a policeman in the bushes — American ButlerA ticket is a ticket with a fine. For different violations, the fine may be different, but on average you can pay $30-400. Also, along with the ticket you may be awarded points.

  • Points scoring

In the US, there is a system of penalty points or points. For each serious violation of the rules, the driver gets a certain amount of points, when their number reaches 12, you can say goodbye to the rights. Information about points that you have been counted has been kept in the police database for 7 years. If you scored 11 points in the past year and a half, an officer of the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles — an analogue of the traffic police) has the right to deny a driver's license for 31 days.

The number of points also affects the cost of the rights (driving license) and insurance in the future.

  1. A driver's license can become more expensive by $10-100. Without penalty points, it costs about $ 60-70 (issued for a period of 5 years).
  2. Each point adds to the cost of insurance for about $100-300.
  3. If you work in the transportation industry, your employer will be aware of all your penalties and points — for him, this will also affect the cost of insurance for official vehicles. If you break often, it’s more profitable to fire you.
  4. If you earned 15 points for your driving experience, the insurance company may terminate the current contract and revise the pricing policy of relations with you. Insurance will cost $5000-8000.

All penalties and points in case of your disagreement become valid only after a court decision. You have the right to challenge any violation against you.

Photo ticket or fine on the windshield for improper parking in the US — American Butler

What to do if stopped

US police officers do not stop to check documents. If the policeman stops, then he saw a violation of the rules.

Just in case, we note that it will not be possible to break away in pursuit — when the police car reaches a speed of more than 80 miles per hour, the camera and geolocation automatically turn on, it will not be difficult to find you. And it's also better not to try to physically fend off — he reports his location and condition to the control room. A help will definitely come to him, and a kind of autojail will come to you.

What to do if the police stopped in the United States — photo of a trooper checking the violator’s driver’s license — American ButlerThe police are not interested in the presentation of fines — it does not affect either the career of a police officer or his salary.

In addition to video recording of the violation, the policeman records the conversation with the driver. In this way, any inappropriate behavior is recorded on both sides. If you are faced with rudeness, coercion, or insult, you can request this record in court and either be justified or request compensation. The same works for the cop.

If you know that the rules are really violated , it is better not to open it — the chances of receiving a warning are higher. If you deny the recorded violation, the officer will decide that you are not aware of the offense and it is more useful for you to pay the fine. If you really disagree with the accusation and are confident that you are right, you can dispute the fine.

  • Challenging fine

All dispute procedures are in court. Usually, the court date is reported to you right after fixing the violation, if you express your disagreement. The same policeman comes to the meeting, who is obliged to prove that the violation occurred — for this purpose, the readings of the radar, recordings from the cameras in the police car and recording the conversation with the driver are most often used.

If you manage to win the trial, your ticket and points are canceled. If you lose, then you will have to pay a fine soon.

  • Payment of fines

With this you will have no problems, everything passes quickly and conveniently. All payments on tickets are made through the website of your state police department. If you do not pay for a long time, the amount of the fee is debited from your accounts by a court decision.

Photo police chase violators of traffic rules in America — American Butler

Frequent types of violations

  • Speed limit exceeded

Ticket can be presented to you differently, but points for speeding are regulated. If you exceed the speed limit by:

  1. 1-10 miles / hour — get 3 points;
  2. 11-20 miles / hour 4;
  3. 21-30 miles / hour — 6;
  4. 31-40 miles / hour — 8;
  5. More than 40 miles / hour — 11.

Photo of a US police officer — fines and penalties for traffic violations — American ButlerTo make it easier to compare with the usual system, 1 mile per hour = 1.6 kilometers per hour. That is, for exceeding 64 km / h or more, you are guaranteed to be deprived of rights for a period of one and a half years.

  • Directions to the red traffic signal

Depending on the status of the road, the amount of the fine will vary, but it definitely threatens with a ticket of $150-300 plus 2 or 3 points.

  • Movement on the stop line

Even if this line is in an empty parking lot — a fine of about $100 and 3 points minus your image as a driver.

  • Parking violation

If you parked and you don’t have a parking ticket with a specified time on the torpedo, you are left with a ticket worth about $30-35. For parking in places intended only for customers of any institution (private parking), the car can be evacuated — you will give about $200.

It often happens that tickets are charged for the parking you paid for in the application — the inspector did not see the check and issued a penalty. In this case, you can easily challenge the penalty in court by presenting information about the payment and comparing it with the time of the issued ticket.

In general, on the US roads is pretty calm and safe. Car maintenance is not a luxury, but a vital necessity. American Butler can help with car rentals, car sharing services, or buying a car in the United States.

We know all the subtleties of the rules and driving culture in America and help you adapt to new conditions so that driving is a pleasure for you!
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  • 1.Receiving discounts and bonuses
  • 2.Comments and ratings
  • 3.Secure payments
  • 4.Payment history
  • 5.Subscribe to news and updates
Login | Registration
Registration via social network
Registration advantages:
  • 1.Receiving discounts and bonuses
  • 2.Comments and ratings
  • 3.Secure payments
  • 4.Payment history
  • 5.Subscribe to news and updates
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