If you’ve ever been pulled over by a police officer, you know how stressful this encounter may be. There are a number of things that can occur out of this situation including but not limited to receiving a traffic ticket, a summons, or a warning.
For the purpose of this blog, we’ll be discussing the difference between a traffic ticket and a warning.
What is a Warning
A warning is just a type of way for a police officer to let someone know they’ve committed a traffic violation. In other words, a warning could be given when you do something illegal on the road, such as speeding or running a red light. It lets an individual become aware of their mistakes and possible consequences they could have received if given a ticket.
Warnings When Speeding
Let’s use speeding as an example. Let’s say you were speeding 1-15 over. If given a ticket, this comes with 0 demerit points, a fine, or the option of disputing it by attending court.
If you get 16-29 over, this comes with 3 demerit points, a fine, or the option of disputing it by attending court. If you get 30-49 over, this comes with 4 demerit points, a fine, or the option of disputing it by attending court. With a warning, the officer is giving you a chance to avoid any demerit points, fines, and the stress of going to court.
So why give a warning instead of a ticket? Some officers just want people to know what they did wrong and to correct their behavior. This is normally done for first time offenders and minor infractions. The good thing about warnings is that they do not appear on your driving record, therefore have no impact on your license status or insurance rates.
You can also be given a warning and a ticket at the same time. Let’s say you were speeding at 29km over the speed limit. A police officer pulls you over and you fail to surrender your driver’s license because it’s in your wallet which you left at home.
The police officer may then decide to give you a traffic ticket for the speeding, but a warning for failing to surrender your driver’s license. You therefore would need to deal with your speeding ticket.
However, you just need to keep in mind that you’ve made a minor violation and keep your driver’s license on you at all times when behind the wheel.
Conclusion
A traffic ticket is something you need to deal with. You either pay the fine, or attend court to dispute the ticket. This may come with demerit points, and if found guilty of this ticket by the court or simply by paying the fine, it will appear on your driving record. This can impact the status of your driver’s license and may also impact your insurance rates.
On the other hand, a warning ticket is something that you don’t need to deal with. There is no fine you need to pay. There is no court appearance you need to attend to, because you technically have no ticket to dispute. There are no demerit point removals, and insurance rates wont change.
With all of this being said, an officer records on their internal system when giving out a warning, so next time you are stopped, they will be aware of the warning and may give you a ticket. The best way to avoid any of this is to follow your states rules, and drive responsibly.
If you need help fighting a speeding ticket, contact us today.
