Traffic Tickets in Washington

Posted Friday, February 10, 2017 by Andrew Charles Huff

Questions and Answers about Traffic Tickets

I have been representing people cited for traffic violations for over 18 years and regularly asked by friends and associates various questions on our traffic laws, which I am always happy to answer.Traffic tickets on your record in Washington will most likely increase your insurance premiums…period. That is, of course, if your insurance company doesn’t drop you. But you can minimize the damage to your driving record and personal finances by recognizing your options and taking appropriate steps. The best way to protect your driving record and fight off higher premiums is to keep tickets off your driving record. This can be done with either a straight dismissal or if your ticket is amended to a “non-moving” violation that won’t appear on your record.

What to Do If You Get a Traffic Ticket

You need to act quickly if you are ticketed because of the 15 day requirement to mail your citation to the court. The three specific actions are: 1) Make a payment. This will result in the ticket going on your record. 2) Request a mitigation hearing. Again, your ticket will go on your record but the fine will be lowered. 3) Request a Contested Hearing. Besides a deferral, a Contested Hearing is the only way to keep the ticket off your record.
If you forget to take action, or ignore the ticket your situation is likely to get worse. If you do not respond, the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) will mail to you a suspension notice, giving you 45 days to respond. Failure to respond to this notice will result in the DOL suspending your license.

Is a Court Appearance Required?

If you get a traffic ticket, you normally do not have to appear in court because it is a civil matter and your attorney can appear on your behalf.