The Most Important Factor to Consider When Resolving A Georgia Traffic Ticket
I get a lot of calls regarding Georgia traffic citations. Most of my potential clients are concerned with the points a Georgia traffic violation is going to put on their drivers license. Georgia IS a points state and most moving violations do carry between 1 and 6 points depending on the severity of the violation. Drivers over 21 are allowed 15 points in every rolling 2 year period before their license gets suspended for points accumulation. Drivers between 18 and 21 get those same 15 points but their license will be suspended if convicted of a violation that issues 4 or more points as well. And drivers under 18 cannot accumulate more than 4 points or their license will be suspended. Points are something to consider when resolving your citation, especially if you are under 21, but points are not the most important thing to consider when resolving a Georgia traffic ticket.
The most important aspect of a traffic violation to consider when resolving your citation is whether the violation will be submitted to the Georgia Department of Driver Services and reported on your driving history. Most moving violations are reportable offenses, meaning if you just pay the citation in advance of court, or plead guilty or no contest to the citation as written, it will be reported on your driving history. Citations reported on your driving history will always be there. Insurance companies generally look at the last 7 years of your driving history when calculating insurance rates, but law enforcement officials and court prosecutors will see your complete driving history. Once a citation is reported on your driving history it may impact your ability to negotiate new traffic offenses and increase your interest rates.
The most important question to answer when deciding how to resolve a traffic ticket is will this citation be reported on my driving history. If the answer is no, you can feel free to pay the citation without concern of potential points, license suspensions, or increased insurance. But if the answer is yes, this citation will get reported on my driving history, you then need to ask yourself what you can do to try and get the ticket amended to a non-reportable offense. There are many serious traffic offenses where that may not be an option, but for most moving violations an experienced Georgia traffic ticket lawyer can help you get the charge amended to a non-reportable offense.
If you have questions whether your citation is a reportable offense, have a CDL (all offenses are reported on a CDL), or have general questions about your traffic citation, please feel free to call or text me at 678-753-6431 for a free consultation. We will go over your citation together, discuss potential resolutions, as well as how I can help get the best outcome for your ticket. I look forward to hearing from you.
