How Much Is a Texting While Driving Ticket in CA?

How Much Is a Texting While Driving Ticket in CA?

Everyone knows you shouldn’t text while driving, but all it takes is a quick glance around while you’re sitting in traffic to realize that “knowing you shouldn’t do it” is different from “not doing it.” In fact, one of the most common tickets in California now is a ticket for texting while driving. According to California Vehicle Code 23123 VC, the California Legislature says, “a person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a wireless telephone unless that telephone is specifically designed and configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used in that manner while driving.” But how much does it really cost if you receive a texting ticket?

Upfront Texting While Driving Ticket Costs

The same governing body of CA that is responsible for creating these laws, is also responsible for determining how costly it will be for drivers who are caught texting by law enforcement. The initial ticket cost for texting is explained as follows:

“A violation of this section is an infraction punishable by a base fine of twenty dollars ($20) for a first offense and fifty dollars ($50) for each subsequent offense.”

Some people look at that number and think… who cares about a $20 or $50 fine? The problem is that the fee due to the State of California in the form of the violation fine is hardly the real amount that you would be responsible for if you got this ticket. Texting while driving tickets can incorporate many hidden fees that you have likely now thought about until after you start to go through the process of handling that ticket with the court.

Hidden Costs of a Driving with a Cell Phone Ticket

The dangers of driving while texting are incredibly high and the National Safety Council reports indicate 1,6 million crashes a year occur because of the use of cell phones while driving. Additionally, the NSC says that 660,000 drivers are attempting to use their phones while driving at any given time! Imagine the costs of the 1.6 million crashes that occur each year. Usually, the physical damages to a car would be around a few thousand on average. But, there are often two or more cars involved in each accident.

And, settlements can be included as well if someone is hurt from an accident. Additionally, the cost for insurance for those involved can skyrocket! Not to mention that if work is missed or you don’t have insurance, there additional fees. Even beyond all of those costs, you could be looking at hiring an attorney for a lawsuit incurred during the crash. This could easily bankrupt a person instantly under the wrong circumstances. Or, you may be stuck with a more conventional route (if you’re lucky)…

The cost of fighting the texting while driving ticket is a huge amount by itself, without looking at the added expenses associated with an accident. For example, let’s start with the $20 fee. Then, let’s add on the cost for your time in searching for a way to fight it or looking for an attorney to hire. That’s easily another $100 depending on how much you value your time. Also, don’t forget that you will need to take off work if you plan to fight the ticket in court. That’s likely another few hundred dollars. Or, you can choose to hire an attorney to go for you and that’s about a few hundred dollars after their fees total up (and sometimes much more).

You’re already looking at a nearly $500 bill for the ticket. But, remember, if you get the chance to do traffic school, that can run you another couple hundred dollars potentially for the course itself – plus an additional few hundred dollars for the amount of work you have to take off. Finally, don’t forget that you get a point on your driving record for this moving violation, and that can raise your insurance rate a few hundred dollars a year easily. Now you’re looking at a potential cost of nearly $1,000 for the actual price of the ticket.

If you aren’t paying attention to the road, you are also in danger of getting other tickets. One of the the most common traffic tickets we see that our clients privately admit to being on the phone for, is CVC 21453 a. That is a ticket for passing the limit line on a red light… Something that is normally very avoidable.

Alternative Ways to Fight a Texting While Driving Ticket

This is what TicketBust is best known for – helping people to fight their traffic tickets! Using a vague process that most people don’t even know exists, we have found a way to allow people to avoid the costs in many scenarios. The way we do it is through something called a Trial by Written Declaration. It’s a small little tool used on the back of a ticket by those that understand the legal system well.

For any California ticket, we are able to use the “magic template” plus the specific input from you about your ticket circumstances to give you an extra chance to fight a texting while driving ticket that may have otherwise cost you a fortune. We charge a nominal fee that basically pays us for the help we give in preparing your argument in a way that has already proven to work for literally hundreds of thousands of people with tickets for texting or using their cell phones while driving their vehicles.

Do you want to fight you texting while driving ticket without risking all of your time and money? Call us today at: (800) 850-8038 and we will help you move on from this experience.