According to LA Times, more than 4 million traffic tickets are issued in California per year. WOW that is a lot of tickets! For this reason, it is important to understand the California system. Because not only are traffic tickets expensive but points can be placed on your driving record. Creating one big problem for you and one huge payday for California. So why do California DMV points matter and how do you keep my record clean? Let’s find out.

What Are Traffic Ticket Points?

A moving violation is any violation of the law committed by the driver while the vehicle is in motion. When a California driver receives a moving violation, points are added to their driving record. Each moving violation equals 1-2 points depending on the severity of the offense. Keep in mind, non-moving violations such as parking and cellphone tickets only have a fine to pay but there are no points. 

Points for Moving Violations:

One point is added for speeding, running a red light, making an unsafe lane change, and at-fault accident.

Two points are added for reckless driving citations such as hit-and-run, Dui, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

Why Does California DMV Points Matter?

The point system is a way for California authorities to monitor drivers. But these points can be costly and stay on your record for 39 months (3 years, 3 months). Unless a more serious moving violation like a DUI. That is on your record for 10-13 years. 

So here are the two main reasons why California DMV points matter.

One is points affect car insurance rates. Insurance premiums increase when points are on your driving record. The average increase is $160 per year for the next three years. This is on top of the hefty fine for the traffic ticket. 

The second reason is multiple points on record could mean revoked driving privileges and/or driver’s license suspended. Drivers who accumulate four penalty points in 12 months, six in 24 months, or eight in 36 months will have their driver’s license taken away for an extended period of time. There are even harsher penalties for beginner drivers. A minor’s license can be suspended if they receive 3 points within the first year.

How Can I Keep My Driving Record Clean?

The best way to keep your record clean is to always practice safe and responsible driving.

Safe Driving Tips:

• Don’t use phone or any electronic device while driving
• Be aware of the drivers around you
• Adjust seats and mirrors before turning on car
• Don’t attempt to retrieve items that fall to the floor
• Keep a safe distance from the car in front of you in case they suddenly stop
• Avoid driving while tired
• Check mirrors and blind spots when changing lanes
• Put on seatbelt 

However, traffic tickets do happen! The good news is if you do get a traffic ticket there is a way to keep driving record clean. It is called Trial by Written Declaration. Trial by written declaration is contesting your ticket in writing instead of going to court. This not only saves you time but if ticket is dismissed, there are NO points and NO fines. Keeping your driving record spotless.

How Can TicketBust Help?

We have helped tens of thousands of California drivers dismiss their traffic tickets. Our defense system builds a case for you in writing. All you have to do is tell us what happened, download the documents and send them to court. It is that easy! Call us today: 800-850-8038.

Cell phone traffic tickets are on the rise in California – and they can be really expensive! 

The state of California has passed laws to permit police officers to issue drivers over the age of 18 tickets if you are caught talking on a cell phone while holding it in your hand. Drivers ages 18 and under will be ticketed if they are using a cell phone at all, even in a hands-free fashion. 

But what happens when that important call comes in and your Bluetooth headset has just died? What about when you are too busy to get out your earbuds, untangle that pesky long cord, plug it in, stick one bud in each ear and then talk? You answer your phone – that is what happens!

And on some days, as bad luck would have it, that is at the precise moment a traffic officer with nothing better to do happens to glance over and see you talking with your phone in hand. 

You weren’t cutting anyone off, tailgating, running a red light (or even a yellow light). You were just talking on your phone while driving in a perfectly safe fashion, but you got a ticket anyway. So now what? Is your only option to pay the ticket? Thankfully, the answer to this question is no. 

You absolutely have options. One of the best options is a little-known ticket-dismissal strategy called Trial By Declaration. Learn about how Trial By Declaration can help you get the most common CA cell phone ticket charges dismissed from your record.

The Most Common Cell Phone Related Traffic Ticket in CA

What Are Your Options to Fight a Cell Phone Ticket in CA?The three most common types of mobile device ticket in California include these:

1. Talking on handheld mobile phones (without a headset) while driving.
2. Manually texting on mobile phones while driving.
3. Holding mobile phones for any reason while driving (including to map directions).

While these two ticket types arguably make less of a lasting impact on your driver record than do other types of traffic violations, they can make a lasting dent in your wallet!

As of June 26, 2019, Assembly Bill 47 is currently making its way through the California legal system on its way to becoming law. 

If AB 47 passes, it will take effect in 2021. Drivers will then be subject to a point on their license if convicted of two mobile device ticket charges (texting, talking, mapping, et al) within 36 months. 

As California traffic law continues to get stricter, you have more to lose by getting cited for any type of mobile device ticket.

What Are Your Options to Fight a Cell Phone Ticket in CA?

You may have discovered this blog because you just got a cell phone traffic ticket and you are trying to figure out what your options are for addressing it.

If this describes your current situation, we have good news for you. You have more options than just using your hard-earned cash to pay the fine. As you will notice, some options are more advantageous than others, but before you can decide how to proceed, you have to know your choices!

1. Pay the fine.

According to the State of California Department of Transportation, the fine is set at $20 for a first offense and $50 for each additional offense.

So basically, paying the is the least attractive option for every reason. Not only are you out the amount of the fine, but if AB 47 passes and you get another similar citation within the next 36 months, you may have a point go on your license. 

Paying the fine might be the first option that comes to mind, but it should be the last option you seriously consider.

2. Go to court and fight the ticket yourself.

Your second option is to represent yourself and go to court to fight the ticket. Here, you have two main possible defenses. The first is that you weren’t using your phone in an illegal manner. The second is that there is an inaccuracy on your ticket that renders it invalid. 

Facing a judge in traffic court can be nerve-wracking even for a seasoned pro, so you can certainly expect that choosing this option will add quite a bit of stress to your life up until and on the date of your trial. And there is no guarantee you won’t freeze up in front of an unsympathetic judge and end up paying the ticket anyway. 

Even worse, then you will be out the time you spent on your defense, taking time away from work and the cost of the ticket.

3. Hire a traffic attorney to fight the ticket on your behalf.

A third option is to hire a traffic attorney to fight your citation for you. Here, there is still no guarantee of dismissal and now you are out the cost of the attorney as well as (potentially) the cost of the fine.

4. Use a ticket dismissal service like TicketBust to get your ticket dismissed.

TicketBust has been serving clients just like you for more than 18 years by successfully getting a wide variety of traffic tickets dismissed. The process we use is called Trial By Declaration and it is very effective. 

In fact, if you turn your traffic citation over, you will see the option for Trial By Declaration outlined right on the reverse side!

But too many people don’t read the fine print and even discover this option exists. 

Unfortunately, completing the form on the back of your citation is just one step in a successful Trial By Declaration defense. The second part is building your specific case and that is the part we excel at.

About TicketBust

TicketBust will get you your bail refunded and get your ticket dismissed or we will refund your service fee and send you to traffic school on us! Trial By Declaration is fast and easy.

Learn more and get started by visiting us at www.staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud.

The state of California is in the top 10 for the states with the strictest driving laws in the nation. As a California driver, you probably already know this. But what you may not know is how to reduce your risk of getting ticketed under certain special situations, such as being caught in a traffic break.

What is a traffic break? How can you recognize when one is forming near you? Why do they occur and how should you handle it to avoid getting a traffic ticket? This article will answer all of these questions and then let you in on a little secret – how to get your traffic ticket dismissed quickly and easily. (HINT: Be sure to read all the way through to the end of this post to find out!)

What Is a Traffic Break?

This type of break is sometimes also called a rolling roadblock. Basically, it is any kind of separation that occurs in congested traffic. 

Sometimes these separations occur naturally. But the most common reason is when the California Highway Patrol (CHP) creates a rolling roadblock manually by maneuvering among the traffic to break up the flow.

Why Do They Happen?

Rolling roadblocks occur for all kinds of reasons that ultimately relate back to roadway and driver safety.

For example, if there is something on the road that needs to be removed, such as a tire tread or debris, the police may use a rolling roadblock to clear the area just around the object so it can be picked up safely.

Another common example is when there is road work being done. Police officers may create a rolling roadblock around the workers to slow down traffic or even re-route drivers for everyone’s safety.

Yet another all-too-common example is when there has been an accident on the roadway. Rather than completely shutting down the freeway, officers may use their vehicles to create a rolling roadblock that re-routes drivers around the area where the accident occurred.

And sometimes rolling roadblocks are simply used to break up severe traffic congestion, especially around major intersections where accidents frequently occur.

How Does a Rolling Roadblock Work?

Here is a basic step-by-step of how most rolling roadblocks are carried out.

First, the officers gather near the area that needs to be cleared. Using their two-way vehicle communication systems, the officers involved coordinate their break strategy.

The officer(s) turn on their flashers and sirens and begin to weave or swerve in and out among traffic. This causes the other drivers to slow down and become watchful. When the danger has passed or the congestion has eased, the rolling roadblock concludes and it is back to business as usual.

How Should You Behave and Drive?

It can be stressful to find yourself suddenly involved in a rolling roadblock. Here is this police vehicle (motorcycle or car or both), sirens wailing and lights flashing, driving erratically for no apparent reason you can detect.Your initial instinct will likely be to either slow down (which is the intent of this police maneuver) or try to speed up and get past it all. 

Whatever you do, you don’t want to speed up and try to drive around the officers! This is one quick way to get yourself pulled over and ticketed. Trying to pass a police vehicle conducting a rolling roadblock is illegal in the state of California and is grounds for an immediate moving violation citation.

Not only will you likely be cited, but you also run the risk of hitting other vehicles (including the police vehicles) or finding yourself in the midst of the accident, road debris, construction or other incident which prompted the initiation of the roadblock in the first place.

The hands-down best way to conduct yourself during a police rolling roadblock is to stay calm, slow down, follow all police instructions and be patient until the rolling roadblock has ended.

Sometimes you may feel tempted to drive around the rolling roadblock by using the open shoulder on either side (left or right). This, too, will get you ticketed faster than you can say “rolling roadblock.” 

Not only is it illegal to use the shoulder of the freeway for driving, but it is also illegal to use the shoulder (or any lane) to pass a police vehicle who is setting up a rolling roadblock.

But there is one more way you may earn yourself a traffic ticket during a rolling roadblock, and it is one that you might not suspect: driving too slow. These tickets can be just as pricey as speeding tickets. Rather, simply follow CHP’s speed lead.

How to Get Your Traffic Break Traffic Ticket Dismissed

So now you know you can actually get a traffic ticket by behaving incorrectly during rolling roadblocks. Unfortunately, traffic tickets for this and other reasons are all too common in the state of California, where traffic laws are uncommonly strict compared to most other states.

If you get a traffic ticket issued by the CHP, you can head over to staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloud to avoid paying and having points deducted from your license.

How to Use TicketBust to Dismiss Your Traffic Ticket

At TicketBust, we walk you through the process of getting your traffic ticket dismissed without having to go to court, pay any extra fees or enduring any long wait times.

Happily, the whole process takes only about five minutes from start to finish. You don’t need to hire an attorney or even make a single phone call to get your traffic ticket dismissed. 

All you need to do is take a picture of your citation, upload it to the website, fill in a form giving a few more details about your citation, complete your order and wait for notification that everything has been successfully processed. 

You can use the website on your computer or tablet or the TicketBust app on your smart phone to get started – visit staging-vadusuxe.kinsta.cloudtoday!

Let’s say that you were pulled over by a police officer on a questionable traffic charge. The officer writes you a ticket and walks away satisfied and smirking. That may leave you wanting to fight the case by hiring a traffic ticket attorney, but you have situations where this may not be the best idea. In some cases, you could hire one and find that you still haven’t resolved the issue.

Reason #1: A Traffic Ticket Attorney is Far Too Expensive

The cost of hiring a traffic ticket attorney can cost you as much as $200. Meanwhile, the typical cost for a ticket will be around $400. This depends on the fines or if you were speeding. However, considering that a traffic ticket attorney can cost you roughly half of what you’d pay for paying the actual ticket, it doesn’t say much about this service. It can get expensive to hire an attorney, which is why it may make sense to forego it in some cases.

Reason #2: Too Much Time Spent in Court

Let’s say that you got a traffic ticket in Florida while on vacation. However, you’re originally from California. You may not even have the option to return back down to Florida just to show up for a minor traffic ticket. It’d cost more than paying the ticket. You could have an attorney represent you in court, but this costs a lot, and it takes a lot of time. For speeding tickets under 80 miles per hour, you can have an attorney show up to represent you, and you don’t have to miss work. However, the cost of doing this is what makes it not worth it in the end. The lawyer might show up at 10 am, but because of how the court system handles up to 1,000 tickets in a day, this can mean that the lawyer would spend up to three hours in waiting, and you better believe that they aren’t going to do this waiting for free. It’s going to come at a cost. 

Not to mention, just because you hire a lawyer doesn’t mean that you will be able to fight the charge. You might have a $400 traffic ticket, pay $200 for a lawyer, and in the end, you now have to pay $600 instead of $400 because of how the ticket was not dropped. That’s the risk that you take when hiring a lawyer. It could wind up costing you more than what you originally bargained for. 

Reason #3: You Have Better Alternatives

You have places like TicketBust that were designed to help you beat a ticket. With this system, you don’t necessarily have to pay quite as much for the services, and it’s still as effective as what you might get with a traffic ticket attorney. How does it work? First, the system will ask the individual a variety of questions to help them get a better understanding of the circumstances. These questions were intended to help match your ticket with the right defense for getting a ticket. You can review all the documents and make the changes as needed. 

After this has happened, you will receive instructions on how to do a Trial by Written Declaration. This has helped thousands of drivers to get off the hook for different types of tickets. You will basically be helped to fight your ticket in writing, which means that you will save time because you never have to show up in court. In addition, you don’t have to prepare a defense because the system will do it for you. All that you need to do is mail the documents into the court, and you will then wait for a decision from the court. The court will either decide that you have won, and they will send you back your money, or they will reject it. In this case, you will have the choice to either attend traffic school, or you will have the choice to fight it again. 

People have taken a liking to TicketBust because of how they don’t have to show up in court. This system works because of how the courts are already overrun with too many tickets, and this helps them to cut down on the volume. Through this service, you can launch a plausible defense, and it only costs you $99. Considering how easy it is, anyone who has ever gotten a traffic ticket understands how this system can be useful for them. There are many reasons not to hire a traffic ticket attorney. The TicketBust ticket dismissal services is the better way to go.

A California traffic ticket can be costly. Especially after all the add on fees and increase in insurance rates because of points on your driving record. That is why you don’t pay that ticket until you try fighting it using Trial by Written Declaration. It is the easiest method to dismiss a ticket. You don’t even have to show up at court. If ticket is dismissed, you will be refunded bail money and no points will be added to your driving record. So why not try!

California Traffic Citation Fees

Overall, a California traffic ticket cost is decided by the severity of the citation and county penalties and fees. That means the base fine of a traffic ticket is not the full cost of a ticket. Here are the fees that will be added to the original base fine:

• Court operations assessment – $40.00
• Conviction Assessment – $35.00
• State penalty assessment) – 100% of base fine
• Night court assessment – $1.00
• County penalty assessment) – $7 for every $10 of base fine
• DNA Identification fund penalty assessment – $4 for every $10 of base fine
• State court construction penalty assessment – 50% of base fine
• Emergency Medical Air Transportation Services fund penalty assessment – $4.00
• Emergency medical services fund penalty assessment – $2 for every $10 of base fine

In the end, a traffic ticket cost becomes 4-6 times more than the base fee. Check out the chart for an example of speeding ticket costs are inflated by penalties.

California Point System

California DMV point system is a way for authorities to monitor drivers. So when a driver receives a traffic citation, they are penalized with 1 or 2 points. Once points are placed on your driving record, your insurance company is informed and your rates go up. On average, drivers pay an addition $160 every year in insurance expenses for the following three years. Add that to the traffic ticket fine, you have one large financial burden. Nobody wants that!

Fight Traffic Ticket with Trial by Written Declaration

Don’t pay that ticket! Our system of using Trial by Written Declaration can help you get your ticket dismissed. At TicketBust, we have helped thousands of drivers fight their traffic ticket. This way you can say goodbye to all those fines, fees, and points. As well as, not worry about insurance costs skyrocketing. Get started here or give us a call 800-850-8038.