You just got a speeding ticket, what a bummer. You might be wondering what kind of lasting effects this might have on your record. These effects are dependent on the State of your registration. So if you’re a Louisiana resident, here’s a breakdown.
Louisiana does not follow the same point system that many states subscribe to. Instead, our traffic violations are reported to the National Driver Registry which allows your driving record to be accessed by any state authority. This includes tickets, violations, suspensions and more.
A traffic violation remains on your record for 5 years.
Certain traffic violations can result in license suspension or revocation. If you are driving over a certain speed or have accumulated multiple violations, it is likely you will lose driving privileges for 180 days. On your second offense following this penalty, your license will be removed for a full 365 days.
In these events, you will not regain your driving privileges until you have completed court-determined requirements.
When you receive a ticket, you are sometimes offered options:
- Accept responsibility and admit guilt by paying the ticket.
In this case, your ticket will be resolved, and you have no further responsibilities. A consideration of this option is that the ticket will be reported to your insurance company, and it will likely affect your insurance premiums. If you have a clean driving record, then the increase may only be incremental. - Go to court if a court date is issued. In court, you may have the opportunity to elect for driving school rather than paying your fine. This is typically only offered if the driver’s record is otherwise clean. The benefit to this option is that it protects your insurance premiums and saves money on the cost of the ticket while protecting your record. However, it will cost you your time as you go to court and driving school.
- Contest the ticket. If you feel that the ticket was issued unfairly, then you can contest the ticket. You will need legal representation and evidence to present. This option is commonly pursued if an individual is at risk of license suspension or revocation.
Tickets are no fun. If you’ve recently received a traffic violation, call your insurance agent to discuss what your options are and how this may impact your upcoming premiums. Henry Insurance is available to help at (225) 927-0451.
