I wanted to post this for a couple of reasons:

1. I've done it in the past here in Michigan and it works but it's been a while, so I am not sure if it still holds true...

2. I am curious to see if it works in any other states...

Disclaimer: Because of different state laws, I cannot promise that this will work in every state but I think it's worth a try the next time you get a speeding ticket. I lived in Illinois for 3 years and they have traffic school out there, so this didn't really apply to that state, but I have done it in Michigan and it has worked in the past. However, it's been at least 7 years.

Here goes:

Next time you are issued a speeding ticket and you can't or don't want to fight it (can't take the day off of work to go to court, small ticket, whatever). Pay the fine through a money order and mail it in for $5 more than the amount. For example, if your fine is $100, then get a money order for $105. Once you mail the money order to the court, they will cash it for the full amount.

Now pay attention, when the court gets that money order for $5 more than the fine and cashes it, they will mail a check back to you for $5. DO NOT CASH THAT CHECK. From the courts standpoint, the account has been settled because the full amount of the fine has been paid. There are no deliquent or outstanding debts, so no bench warrent is issued. You have settled your obligation. However, the account with the court still stays open because there is a $5 credit that they owe you. It isn't until the courts close the accounts that the insurance companies are notified that there has been a traffic violation. But, if that account is never closed by the court (because there is a $5 balance) then it remains open until that balance is settled. If you never cash the check, the account never closes, thus insurance isn't notified.

Hopefully it still works. Like I said I have done it at least twice in the past here in Michigan but that was a while back. My insurance never went up and they never had any record of any traffic violations.

Good Luck

 

Send me the extra $5, it does just as good. This is sooooooo totally and completely false I don't even know where to start.

...and insurance rates don't automatically go up from a lame-o speeding ticket. Mine never have... and I paid the correct amount.

EDIT: Yeah, I knew this was old... been circulating the globe since '98. http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.asp

 

false

 

wrong it works in mass, and nh i have done it many time's

 

Your on crack!!

 

Easiest way to avoid points (or whatever) on your insurance.....don't get a ticket in the first place.

 

I thought after like 90 days the check is voided

 

My grammur rox.

 

I just want to say 2 things and then I'll leave it alone. Directly from the snopes sight itself, it states the following:

You can overpay your traffic ticket if you'd like, but the only result will be that you contribute some extra money to the general revenue fund.

I did receive on 2 seperate occasions, checks back from the court for the difference in what I paid vs. the actual fine itself, so no additional contributions were made to the general revenue fund, or I would have never received any checks. One could argue that because I never cashed them, than I did contribute extra, but if those were cashed than that action would falsify the above statement.

Some people assert they've tried this scheme and it worked, and though it's certainly possible some people who overpaid their traffic tickets never saw any points go on their records, most likely that was a result of coincidence, not cause-and-effect.

They admit also that it is certainly possible that some people have overpaid and never saw points on their record. Whether it's coincidence or not, it is possible by their own admission and factual in my case.

I stated that this was done by me 7 years ago in Michigan, so things may have changed since then, I don't know. I lived in Illinois for 3 years and never had an opportunity to try it out there because you go to traffic school (or at least I did for traffic violations).

So just take it for what it's worth and if you ever get the desire to try it, it can't hurt

 

Since each state is different, get a copy of your states vehicle code. In PA there is.. failure to obey a traffic control device. This is a catch all, depending on the situation, You know your wrong and going to get a ticket" you can ask the LEO if they would write it for that, or you can ask the court if they would conceider reducing the charge when you have to appear.

Its the fine/costs without points

 

Ive got 1 speeding ticket and took it to a lawyers office and he reduced it to littering, in/out in 2 minutes.

 

Yes they do. It depends on the insurance company. Who are you insured through?

Insurance companies do indeed raise rates for tickets at their discretion. Best check your policy. Your company may have chosen not to raise yours for that incident. But they can and certainly do raise rates, if they so choose, on any violation. Sometimes it is raised only for a period of time. For instance, my wife turned around in an interstate median drive meant for emergency vehicles only and got a ticket. We paid $60 to the insurance company for that one, $10/month for 6 months. And combined we've only had 3 tickets, ever, including that one.

 

I said automatically. It's not like you get a ticket and the state calls your agent and says "Guess what?!!!" and your rates go up.

Sure it can happen and frequently does. I however, had not seen an increase in rates on all my tickets. Just once did they raise my rates. I've had several over the course of my driving career. Sprinkle in a few accidents and living in the ghetto I still manage to pay less than others. State Farm rocks my world.

 

Yep, just ask the leo to reduce it to a 3111A, most will do so if you are courteous and have a clean record.

 

"I can’t tell you how other courts work, but our court operates a lot like businesses. If you don’t cash the check in 90 days the check is voided and the case is closed. On top of that, insurance companies take the reports from the police departments and not from the court. Only if they plan on fighting the case in court do they look at how the court decided. Most of the time they look at just who got cited."