When you pay a traffic ticket, you plead guilty to the citation. The state will add points to your license, and you could end up paying more for your insurance. If your job involves driving, your ticket could affect your work. Even if you don’t need a commercial license, your employer may have rules about your driving record if you drive fleet vehicles for sales calls or your own vehicle while making service calls.
When you fight back against the ticket, the courts may eventually dismiss it, allowing you to move on without any blemish on your driving record. There are typically two strategies that can help someone accused of a traffic offense fight back against a recent citation.
Challenge the validity of the stop
A police officer has to have probable cause to suspect a primary traffic infraction to pull you over in the first place. You can ask them the reason for the stop. If there wasn’t an issue with your driving or your vehicle that gave an officer a reason to stop you, then the ticket that resulted after a conversation with you may not hold up in court.
Prove that you did not violate the law
A police officer’s version of events could be incorrect. Perhaps their devices returned inaccurate results, or maybe they misinterpreted the situation. When you can show that you didn’t violate traffic laws the way the officer initially thought you did, the courts will potentially dismiss the ticket.
Looking into the law that applies to your specific citation can be a good starting point if you’ve been accused of a New Jersey traffic offense.
