If you are anything like me, you love to drive or more accurately you love to drive fast. I figure, why get somewhere in 45 minutes when you can get there in 38 minutes? However, with the pedal to the metal it is almost a certainty that you are going to get pulled over at some point. While no one looks forward to getting pulled over and getting a speeding ticket, if you get a ticket, one of the first things you want to make sure you do is to check with the court to determine whether you are eligible for traffic school. Generally, you can go to traffic school if:
- You have a valid driver’s license,
- The offense occurred while driving a noncommercial vehicle, and
- Your ticket is for an infraction that is a moving violation.
If you are eligible to attend traffic school, you should look for the right traffic school for you. We recommend you look for a school that is affordable, easy to navigate, approved by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, don’t charge for certificates, and have a phone number where they can be reached. If you are eligible to attend traffic school, and you decide not to take it, you will have points on your driving record and your auto insurance will likely increase.
You CANNOT go to traffic school for:
- Equipment offenses
- Non-moving offenses (like parking offenses)
- Misdemeanors
- Offenses with a mandatory court appearance
- Alcohol- or drug-related offenses
- Offenses in a commercial vehicle
In California, which has thousands of in-person and online traffic schools, the state of California there are a few traffic schools that we recommend:
Zap Traffic School – A newer traffic school. Really cleanly designed website. Extremely easy to use. Good online reputation.
Ticket Toaster – This service has been around for nearly 20 years. Their name suggests they help you toast your ticket. The logo is a little cheesy but the content is mobile friendly, start and stop whenever it is convenient. Ticket Toaster offers a guarantee that you will pass or you don’t pay. They have an incredible rating on both Yelp and reviews that come through their website. They also provide a price match guarantee ensuring that you will pay the lowest price possible with them.
Traffic Safety Ed – They claim that 9 out of 10 people pass the final exam. The course is simple and readable. The test has the fewest number of questions needed for the state DMV requirements. Has live phone support and chat support.
While you would probably be better off financially by slowing down when you drive, you can at least rest easy knowing that if you are going to keep speeding, there are ways you can reduce the negative impacts of the speeding ticket you are sure to get at some point.
