We are often asked about parking tickets: Will a parking ticket put points on my license? Will they cause my insurance premiums to rise? Here are some details about parking tickets to put inquiring minds at ease.

Parking laws vary by city but generally, you have thirty days from the date you receive the ticket to either pay the parking ticket or request a hearing. Once you pay the ticket, you cannot contest it. In Florida points are not assessed for failing to pay parking tickets but a registration “stop” may be issued for failure to pay parking tickets, which means you cannot register your vehicle until after the fines and late fees are paid, in addition to any service charges. If you fail to pay multiple tickets, the city can send your debt to a collections agency, which can result in additional fines. If you have a simple expired meter parking ticket, it is much cheaper to pay it upon receipt, rather than stuffing it into a glove compartment and letting the debts pile up.

So you are driving down the street and suddenly you see the flashing lights in your rearview mirror. After muttering some expletives under your breath, you pull over to the side of the road and await your fate. Now what? Here are some tips to make the experience as smooth as possible:

Try not to cut anyone off or do anything else that might encourage further citations.

It is not a good idea to take off your seat belt and start rummaging around in your glove compartment for your registration until you are asked to do so by the officer.

The more you talk, the more the police officer will remember you, which will likely not serve you well in court. You want to blend in with every other person he pulls over so that he will not remember the particulars – this may increase your chances of having the ticket dismissed. Do not try to be cute or clever or funny. This is not the time.

Saying you have to go to the bathroom really badly will likely not get you out of a ticket. In the same vein, do not argue with the officer about whether or not you were actually speeding. It is unlikely the officer will say “you know, you’re right, my bad” and send you on your way. Try to remain quiet and respectful.

If you do receive a citation, you can check out our earlier post about how to fight a speeding ticket, or consider hiring an experienced traffic ticket attorney to help fight your case. The Ticket Clinic, founded in 1987, has handled over 1 million traffic-related citations, including DUI. Call us at 1.800.CITATION if you have any questions about your ticket.

In Florida, teens can obtain a “learner’s license” at 15 years old. But it is not as simple as showing up at the DMV and grabbing the keys to mom or dad’s car. To obtain a learner’s license, a teen must:

• 1) Complete a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education course (don’t forget to obtain proof of completion to show at the DMV);


• 2) Obtain a signed Parental Consent Form. The form must be signed in the presence of a driver license examiner. If your parent or guardian will not be present at the DMV, the form must be notarized (most banks have notaries).


• 3) Proof of identity. GatherGoGet.com can help you determine the documents that you need to provide.

Now that you’ve taken you education class and gathered all the paper work, you think you are ready to hit the road? Not quite. To obtain a learner’s license, teen drivers must take a written test, a vision test and a hearing test. The written test is 40 multiple choice questions – 20 about traffic laws and 20 about road signs. To pass the test, you must get 15 answers correct in each section.

So you gathered the paperwork, took the class, passed the tests. Now can you hit the road? Sort of. With a learner’s license, teens can drive during daylight hours for the first three months – always with a licensed driver over 21 sitting in the front passenger seat. After three months, new drivers can drive until 10 pm, but again, a licensed driver over 21 must be sitting in the front passenger seat.

Once you turn 16, you can earn an operator’s license. The catch? You must have a learner’s license for one full year. So if you waited until you were 15 and 4 months to obtain your learner’s license, you have to wait until you are 16 and 4 months to obtain an operator’s license. And you cannot have received any traffic convictions during the year you had your learner’s license (more on that below).

To obtain an operator’s license, teen drivers must provide a learner’s license from Florida or another jurisdiction and certification from your parent or guardian that you have had at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience.

Next, a teen driver must get behind the wheel for a driving test. If you plan to drive your new car to take the test, make sure your insurance is procured before you get to the DMV, or all that practicing will be for nothing. You are required to have current registration and car insurance on the car you will be driving at the test.

So you passed the test – Whew. Now what? 16-year-olds may drive between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver over 21 sitting in the front passenger seat or if the driver is traveling to or from work. 17-year-olds may drive between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver over 21 sitting in the front passenger seat or if the driver is traveling to or from work.

Even after you obtain your license, you are not necessarily in the clear. In Florida there are certain laws that pertain specifically to teen drivers:

If you receive a moving traffic conviction while you have a learner’s license, the one year period you are required to hold your learner’s license will be extended for one year from the date of the conviction or until you turn 18 – whichever comes first. Remember that a citation is not necessarily a conviction. If you are a new driver and have received a traffic citation, consider talking to an experienced traffic ticket attorney to help you retain your driving privileges. The Ticket Clinic has handled over 1 million traffic-related tickets. Call us at 1.800.CITATION with questions.

If you receive 6 points on your driving record within a 12 month period, your driving privileges may be automatically restricted to business purposes only for 12 months or until you turn 18.

If you are under 21 and have a blood alcohol level of .02% or more, an administrative suspension of six months may result.

If you are truant in school attendance, your driving privilege can be suspended.

If you are under 18 and convicted for possession of tobacco products, your driving privileges can be suspended.

In warm weather states like Florida and California, it is commonplace to share the road with bicyclists. On weekends, the roadways in major cities can be so crowded with droves of bikers that you might wonder if you accidentally stumbled upon the Tour de France. But what exactly are the rules? Do bikes have to stop at red lights too? How can bikers and drivers share the road so that everyone is safe?

Florida law requires bicyclists to obey all road signs and traffic signals just like a car. Also, like the driver of a car, the driver of a bicycle must yield to pedestrians. Oftentimes, drivers want to pass a cyclist. In those instances, Florida law requires a driver to pass a cyclist with a minimum of three feet between the car and the bike. But if you are driving on a high speed roadway, three feet may not be enough so use good judgment when sharing the roadways with bikes. If you are driving in a car, it can be frustrating to encounter cyclists who are not following the laws. But safety should be your number one concern. Share the road and drive safely!

Most drivers know that points on your drivers license will cause your insurance premiums to go up. But how much of a hike has been up for debate. A recent survey conducted by Insurancequotes.com found that only 31% of drivers over 18 who received traffic tickets in the past year also experience a rise in premiums.

When you obtain a new car insurance policy, your insurer pulls a motor vehicle report (MVR). But if you are over 25, chances are that your insurer, which pays for every MVR it pulls, is not checking your driving records as frequently as your think. Unless you file a claim with your insurance company, it may not know about your ticket for years.

But it is better to be safe than sorry. A study by Insurance.com reviewed 490,000 insurance quotes from January 2009 through January 2011 in order to determine how traffic violations impact rate quotes and found that certain types of violations led to significant increases to premiums. Reckless driving impacted insurance premiums the most, with the average premium for a person with a reckless driving citation being 22% higher than someone with a clean driving record. A first offense DUI hiked up rates 19%. And just one speeding ticket caused premiums to rise up to 15% – pretty significant increases.

In Florida, the average car insurance premium in 2012 was $1654 per year. So one speeding ticket may raise your annual premiums up to $250.

Even if your insurer only pulls your MVR infrequently, if there are points on your record, your premiums may go up eventually. With such a significant rate hike looming, it never makes sense to simply pay a ticket since admitting guilt puts points on your driving record and in Florida, points are there to stay.

The lawyers at the Ticket Clinic have defended over 1 million traffic tickets in Florida, California and nationwide. We concentrate solely on traffic-related offenses, including DUI.

Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day, a time for green beer and a designated driver. With a few days to prepare, please take the time to figure out your transportation plans before you head out on Sunday. A little advance planning could save you a ton of time, money and sanity down the road. Police officers tend to be out in full force during “drinking holidays” like St. Patrick’s Day. Before you find yourself arrested for DUI, select a designated driver or plan to take a cab if you are heading out on Sunday. If you do find yourself in the unfortunate situation of a DUI arrest, contact an experience DUI attorney to help you. The Ticket Clinic has handled over 1 million traffic related tickets, including DUI.

Last week, an Ohio judge in Hamilton County entered an order holding that the Village of Elmwood’s “Automated Speed Enforcement Program” violated an individual’s due process rights and granted a permanent injunction prohibiting further enforcement of the ordinance. The entire order can be found here.

The court order highlights the fact that the ordinance fails to allow the driver of the vehicle any opportunity to defend against the purported violation. Instead, the Village issues approximately 115 violations per day, each carrying a fine of $105. To even contest the citation, the recipient must pay $25 to have a hearing before a Village hearing officer, a process the court order calls a “sham.”

This order correctly enjoins the Village from violating drivers’ constitutional rights in order to generate revenue for itself and the speed camera company. We expect to see a lot more of these orders in jurisdictions nationwide!

Red Light Camera Ticket in a Rental Car?Florida Law Does Not Offer Equal Protection

By Ted Hollander

While it is no secret that The Ticket Clinic has been zealously fighting red light cameras, a new type of challenge to the cameras is making its way through the courts with success.

When a driver receives a red light camera citation, he or she first receives a Notice of Violation (NOV), which comes with a $158 fine and, if paid, will not appear on the recipient’s driving record. If the NOV is not paid within 30 days, the driver receives a Uniform Traffic Citation (UTC). If a UTC is not dismissed, it carries a higher fine and will appear permanently on a driving record.

When a rental car driver gets a red light camera ticket, because the car is registered to the rental car company, the NOV is issued to the rental car company. The rental car company, pursuant to Florida law, executes an affidavit stating the name of the person who was in possession of the car at the time that the red light camera violation allegedly occurred. Then, under Florida law, a UTC is issued to the renter of the car, even though he or she is learning about the alleged violation for the first time. There is no opportunity to simply pay the violation and have the matter wiped from the driving record.

The Ticket Clinic believes that this practice is a clear violation of equal protection and due process requirements of our state and federal constitution. And the courts are starting to agree. We have recently obtained favorable orders by courts who agree that the Florida law, as currently written, unfairly subject rental car drivers to higher fines and marred driving records. We will continue to fight the fight against red light cameras and update this blog as this area develops.

Contrary to what you may believe after driving on the Florida roadways, the turn signal is not optional. Though you might not know that if you drive daily on Florida streets. Although many Floridians are loath to use it, the turn signal is required by law.

So let’s take a quick look at Florida law on turn signals:

Section 316.155 of Florida Statutes sets forths the times when a turn signal is required. Any vehicle turning right or left or changing lanes, must use signal an intention to turn for at least 100 feet prior to turning or changing lanes. Visually speaking, 100 feet is about the length of six cars lined up bumper to bumper.

The purpose of the turn signal is to let other drivers know you are about to turn. Turning on the signal after you have already stepped on your brakes is too late.

Failure to comply with the law may result in a non-criminal moving violation so it is important to know the law and use your turn signal Floridians!

Speeding tickets can happen to everyone. A few simple tricks can make all of the difference when taking one to court.

1. Whenever you receive a ticket (speeding or any other type) do not argue with the officer on the side of the street. Contrary to what you may think, this will not get you a “warning” instead, and may end up hurting your case. Often, the officer takes notes about his or her encounter with you. The more that you argue, the more notes that will be taken to help the officer remember the facts of your case when it comes time for court. Try to be as quiet, respectful and non-existent as possible. Sometimes, if the encounter is non-eventful, the officer will forget some of the details in court, and that can get your case dismissed.

2. In court, you have the right to inspect the officer’s documents relating to the speed measuring device used in your case. Whether an aircraft, a speedometer, a laser or a radar was used, there are rules regarding these devices, their testing and their admissibility in court. A brief review of these documents can show some flaws in the case. This technique requires some homework, so that the driver is familiar with the rules that apply in that particular state. Usually, these rules and codes can be found on the internet or at a local law library. Or you can contact an experienced traffic ticket attorney to help you with your case.

3. Today, many cars and trucks are modified with bigger wheels and tires. If you have modified your car, be careful as these modifications can effect the accuracy of the speedometer. You can have the speedometer corrected and checked before court and show this proof to the judge. That could be enough to get your ticket dismissed.

4. Look at the ticket carefully, and pay particular attention to the statute cited on the ticket. Get a copy of the statute (it can be found on the internet) and read it carefully. Make sure that the officer cited you with the correct statute and subsection. In many states, the officer can “amend” or fix the citation before the trial starts. Once the trial starts, no more amendments should be allowed by the court. Also, make sure that the officer testifies sufficiently as to each requirement of the statute. The failure to testify about one essential element of the statute can be enough for you to win your case. Consider contacting an experienced traffic ticket attorney to help you understand the language of the statutes.

5. Come prepared for court. Make sure that you are dressed properly and show the court the respect that it deserves. For trial, bring all evidence, diagrams, photos and witnesses that are available to help in your defense. Be prepared to explain the circumstances and surroundings that support your position. This effort and preparation will go a long way, and might be enough to get your case thrown right out of court!

As always, you can also contact a traffic ticket attorney to help you with your case if you have any questions. The Ticket Clinic has defended over 1 million traffic-related tickets, including DUI, in Florida, California and nationwide. Call us at 1.800.CITATION.

The content of this blog post is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to solicit business or to provide legal advice. Traffic laws differ by jurisdiction, and the information in this blog post may not apply to every reader. You should not take, or refrain from taking, any legal action based upon the information contained in this blog post without first seeking professional counsel. Reading this blog does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and The Ticket Clinic.