Do old traffic tickets eventually go away?

We all have the to-do list item that never really gets done, either because there are always more pressing issues, or we just really don’t want to do it. Sometimes, traffic tickets become that unwanted to-do list item.

Sometimes it’s as simple as forgetting to pay your ticket, but sometimes the entire process of hiring an attorney and showing up for a court date slips our minds.

If you’re still able to renew your license and don’t receive anything else from the courts, does that old traffic ticket just go away? 

Unfortunately, no.

Sometimes the ticket stays dormant, doesn’t prevent you from renewing your license, and becomes a forgotten issue — until the day you get pulled over and get arrested.

Now that old ticket can become a serious problem. The officer might see that you never responded to the ticket and that could mean there’s a warrant out for your arrest or that your license was suspended and you didn’t even know it.

The best course of action when facing a traffic offense – whether it’s from yesterday or 20 years ago – is to hire a traffic defense attorney to fight the ticket so it doesn’t become a blemish on your record. You can take action on tickets that go as far back as 30 years.

Louisiana is somewhat of an anomaly in that it doesn’t use a point system to track moving violations. That can lull some residents into a false sense of security, thinking they don’t need to worry too much about violations on their record.

While you might not be accumulating points against your record, you are still accumulating a record — even those tickets that you avoid, never pay, and just ignore.

If you get cited for speeding and plead guilty to it by paying your fine, that speeding ticket will be reported to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety Corrections Office of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Now that record is something that any law enforcement agency can see. 

Most importantly, that violation will be visible on credit reports so that insurance companies can see it too. By simply paying a traffic ticket without going to court to fight it, you’re likely increasing your insurance rates and adding to your moving violation history with the state.

Even the smallest moving violations matter on your driving record, even though the state does not use a points system. There may not be points on your license, but your auto insurer will still be penalizing you for every traffic violation. Do not be fooled into paying off moving violations and thinking that’s the end of it. 

Instead, hire a Louisiana traffic defense attorney like John Radziewicz to protect your driving record and avoid hefty increases in car insurance premiums and prevent a possible license suspension if you get too many violations in a given period.

If you discover that you have old traffic violations and tickets still on your record that you never dealt with, it’s certainly time to do so. They are not going to just go away with time.

Regardless of whether your traffic violation is new or old, follow these steps to fighting the tickets.

Disputing traffic violations without an attorney will prove to be very difficult. And while you might walk away only having to pay court fees, that doesn’t mean you’ve succeeded in keeping the violation off your driving record.

With the help of a talented attorney like John Radziewicz in New Orleans, Louisiana, you can avoid fines and suspensions as well as potentially get the violation expunged from your driving record—which means lower insurance premiums for you.

To keep your driver’s license and avoid increases in your car insurance rates, contact Crescent City Law. Crescent City Law is one of New Orleans’ most trusted law firms with a reputation for putting clients’ needs first. Schedule a free consultation now to initiate your moving violation defense.