Mistakes on Traffic Tickets? Here's How to Challenge Them!

If you get pulled over by the traffic officer for a traffic violation for one reason or another, chances are that the police officer will issue you a traffic ticket. The ticket should contain essential information such as the alleged charge, the amount of the fine, and the summon date.

Officers often make when they hurriedly or absentmindedly write the ticket. When this happens, you may have a golden opportunity to contest the ticket, even when you were in the wrong. Read along to discover how DoNotPay can help you fight your traffic ticket.

Common Ticket Errors

There are two main types of traffic ticket errors that you should always be on the lookout for:

Minor Traffic Errors

Minor traffic ticket errors are often not that serious and are easily fixable by the court. The following are examples of minor traffic ticket errors:

Incorrect location
Wrongly spelling the name of a location
Wrong time
Improper description of the vehicle

The court can make amendments to a ticket that has minor mistakes.

Fatal Traffic Errors

These are the types of traffic ticket mistakes that may or should get the ticket canceled. Fatal errors come with caveats to a dismissal. Although the Justice of Peace is required to cancel the traffic ticket in case of a fatal error, at most times, they fail to do so, and your attorney may have to file an appeal.

Mistakes That May Have Your Traffic Ticket Canceled

The following significant errors could lead to the cancellation of your traffic ticket:

Listing the Wrong Vehicle

If the police officer lists the wrong license plate number, the wrong make, and model of the vehicle, or any other important identifying information, the traffic ticket can get thrown out.

Using Faulty Equipment

There has been a hot debate about the accuracy of radar guns and the cameras attached to the red lights. Many factors can affect the precision of these devices, for example:

Strong winds
Winter storms
Weathering

The frequency of maintenance of these devices can also affect their level of accuracy. You will have a better chance of fighting and winning your citation if any of the mentioned factors affected your ticket. That said, proving this in court is hard. You will need a competent and experienced traffic attorney to represent you in court.

Recording Incomplete Information

At most times, officers are often in a hurry and may fail to record all the required information. If an officer forgets to fill out a section when writing the ticket, the missing data can have your citation dismissed.

Common Traffic Ticket Mistakes Drivers Make

The following are the common mistakes that most motorists make:

Admitting Guilt	Despite your undying urge to explain to the traffic officer why you were overspeeding, it is always best to exercise your right to remain silent. Unless you were on your way to getting someone to the hospital or are running away from someone who wants to harm you, then, by all means, you should explain yourself.
Not Completing Traffic Violator's Course on Time	If you are required to attend TVS, you must do so before the court-ordered completion date. Doing this will have your traffic ticket held as confidential information.
Not Signing the Ticket	Note that signing the ticket does not mean that you admit guilt. It is simply a promise that you will appear in court on the scheduled date. Worse still, refusing to sign the ticket could have you taken to the station.
Arguing With the Traffic Police Officer	There is absolutely no point in arguing with the traffic officer. This is one argument you will never win. If you feel you have been charged unfairly, simply sign the ticket, and you will have your day in court to plead your case.
Not Talking to a Traffic Attorney	This is the worst mistake a driver can make. Regardless of whether you are at fault, you need an attorney by your side to evaluate your case and figure out if you have a fighting chance in court.

Let DoNotPay Help You Contest Your Traffic Ticket

As seen above, contesting a traffic ticket by yourself is a complicated and time-consuming process, and the chances of winning are meager. If you decide to hire a traffic lawyer, you should be prepared to part with a lot of money in fees.

Nevertheless, the good news is that there is a cheaper and less stressful option to contest your case. It would be best to let DoNotPay help you with your traffic offense today. If you wish to contest your traffic ticket but have no idea where to start, DoNotPay has got you covered in 5 easy steps.

All you have to do is:

Log-in to DoNotPay and go to the Ticket Disputes category. Select the correct product based on your traffic ticket.
Upload a photo of your citation.
Provide us with some details on why you believe the citation issued is a mistake.
Select whether or not you want the letter mailed to the traffic ticket issuer on your behalf!
That’s it! You’ll receive an appeal letter that contains state vehicle codes to boost your case.