Unlike the vast majority of other states, Louisiana does not use a points system to track tickets. Instead, Louisiana separates between tickets which are reported to your driving record and tickets which are not reported to your driving record.
For example, when you are cited for speeding in Jefferson Parish and you plead guilty to the ticket by paying it at First Parish Court, you are admitting guilt to a moving violation. After you plead guilty, the court will automatically submit your record to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV). This record is then accessible by various credit reporting agencies and, more importantly, insurance companies who evaluate you as a potential customer. One factor considered in determining your insurance rate is your driving record.
Louisiana’s Moving Violation Penalties
There are several different types of moving violations defined by the state of Louisiana. The state’s DUI penalties, also known as drunk driving penalties, have the potential to impact licensed drivers who are found to be operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) in excess of 0.08. Minors who have a BAC of 0.02 or above are charged accordingly. Additional DUIs further affect the driving record, spur more fines and have even more punishing penalties to boot. Most importantly, if police suspect your are driving under the influence, the DMV can suspend your license for up to 1-year for a first offense, even if you are not convicted in court.
Aside from DUI, the state of Louisiana also considers the failure to yield, use a turn signal or stop at a stop sign to be a moving violation. The careless operation of a motor vehicle, the disregard for traffic control signs and penalties for reckless driving are all moving violations. Those charged with a moving violation are charged a predetermined fine amount for each respective moving violation. Additional fines are tacked on if a number of violations have occurred, regardless of whether they were classified as moving or non-moving.
How to I keep points of My Driving Record for a Ticket in Louisiana?
Disputing a speeding ticket in the state of Louisiana will prove difficult, if not impossible, without the assistance of a traffic attorney. You need a savvy attorney to build your case and represent you at traffic court hearings. Your attorney will deal with all citations and issues affecting your driver’s license. This is your best chance at retaining your license, avoiding insurance hikes and maintaining your driving privileges uninterrupted for years to come.
An experienced traffic ticket attorney in Gretna performs three important tasks in the defense of your case. First, they try to keep the ticket from being reported to your record, so you don’t get any points. This is done by filing a motion to quash the ticket based on procedural grounds, forcing the prosecutor to dismiss the ticket, or negotiating a plea to a non-moving violation so it is ultimately not reported to your Louisiana driving record and to the Compact. Second, the keep costs as low as possible by asking the judge to waive any unnecessary court costs, fines, and fees.
Lawyers in New Orleans can also ask the judge for a payment plan or ask prosecutor to amend the ticket to a cheaper, non-moving violation. In the past, I have saved clients as much as $12,000.00 at one time. Third, an organized traffic ticket lawyer can appear for you, so you don’t have to go to court. This means you can keep working at your job while your lawyer does their job at court.
Louisiana Participates in the Problem Driver Pointer System
While Louisiana does not have a driving point system like most other states, state leaders should be commended for participating in the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) and the Interstate Driving Compact, which are interstate compacts used by state to exchange information concerning license suspensions and traffic violations of non-residents and forward them to the state where they are licensed known as the home state.
Participants in the compact are supposed to treat a traffic offense as if it had been committed at home, applying home state laws to the out-of-state offense. The action taken would include, but not be limited to, points assessed on a minor offense such as speeding and suspension of license or a major violation such as DWI/DUI. It is not supposed to include non-moving violations like parking tickets, tinted windows, loud exhaust, etc. So, when you plead guilty to a speeding ticket in Louisiana and you live in another state, then your home state might impose points on your license.
Do not Put Your Driver’s License at Risk
Contact one of Crescent City Law’s traffic lawyers for a thorough review of the unique facts of your case. Explain exactly what happened in as much detail as you can remember, and our legal team will get to work on clearing your driving record. This is the in-depth assistance you need to overcome the legal complexities of this unfortunate event. Let your attorney dispute the traffic violation on your behalf and you will be liberated to live your life as desired without worry of a potential driver’s license suspension, revocation or other interruption.
We have people ready to answer your call 24/7. Call (504) 264-9492.
