Traffic Violation

[unkn0wndj]

What is the name of your state? Georgia

Iam 16 and in georgia under Code 40-5-30(c) you arent able to drive anyone under the age of 21 unless immediate family until you have a license for 6 months. So i was riding down the road today obeying the speeding limitations and an officer driving by turns around and follows me for about a mile or 2 and then turns on his lights. So I pulled over. He was extremely rude. He cursed at me as I was outside of the car with him talking to me. Also before he asked who was in the car he immediately went to his car with my paperwork and wrote the ticket. So I get a ticket that says Im Driving Victim of License Restrictions and he gave me the number to the Probates office. There is another thing i noticed. He marked Traffic being medium on my citation and i was pulled over almost in the middle of the road( Barely on the shoulder). Wouldnt that be a hazard? What should I do from here..( This is my first citation )

 

[Smiles]

1) Have you had your license for less than 6 months, and were you driving with non-family passengers who are under 21?

2) The officer may have been rude, but unfortunately that doesn't count for anything. There's no reason to be unprofessional during a routine traffic stop, but they can be.

3) He wrote the ticket before he knew who was in the car, but was he wrong? His premature ticket-writing doesn't count against him - unless in his haste he cited you with something that you are not guilty of.

4) Where you pulled over was your choice. You should have stopped in a safe area within a reasonable timeframe. You do not have to stop immediately if it puts you or anyone else in danger. Make it clear that you are aware of the officer by signaling that you are trying to pull off the roadway. If the officer feels that you were disobeying/ignoring him, politely explain that you were attempting to find a safe section of roadway to pull to the side of. Keep your hands on the wheel and don't get an attitude no matter how off-base the officer might become.

The short answer: If the answer to (1) is yes and there are no other issues, pay the fine. You violated your license restriction and were properly (although rudely) cited for it. You could bring the matter to court, but you probably will not find a sympathetic ear.

However, I am not familiar with Georgia law. You should look into the available options in your state. If there is a way to get no points, or a reduced fine, or take a traffic course, those could be worthwhile. (In my state the insurance impact is far worse than any fine, so it's worth fighting even if you've only got a 10% shot at winning.)

Good luck.

 

[unkn0wndj]

4) Where you pulled over was your choice. You should have stopped in a safe area within a reasonable timeframe. You do not have to stop immediately if it puts you or anyone else in danger. Make it clear that you are aware of the officer by signaling that you are trying to pull off the roadway. If the officer feels that you were disobeying/ignoring him, politely explain that you were attempting to find a safe section of roadway to pull to the side of. Keep your hands on the wheel and don't get an attitude no matter how off-base the officer might become.

Good luck.

On Highway 36 it's a huge country road and it goes on for miles. But nonetheless how bad should the insurance be since it's just a license restriction and do you guys have any idea about what the fine would be?

 

[moburkes]

No one can tell you how much your insurance will increase, because its going to be a different amount with every carrier.

From the DMV's website: If you receive a traffic citation after you receive your license, your license may be suspended. Paying the citation fee does not indicate that your license will not be suspended.

 

[Smiles]

On Highway 36 it's a huge country road and it goes on for miles. But nonetheless how bad should the insurance be since it's just a license restriction and do you guys have any idea about what the fine would be?

If it goes on for miles, there are probably many places on the side of the road where you can safely stop.

You would have to discuss the situation with your insurance carrier to find out how much it will add to your insurace each year and for how long. I'd call with a hypothetical if-I-was-to-get-cited-how-much-would-it-cost thing.

If Georgia doesn't put the fine on the citation, call the courthouse. Or call your Department of Driver Services. Also ask the DDS how many points the violation is, and if you will be subject to license suspension.

Unless your violation is 4 points or more, I don't think your license will be suspended. Class D operators in Georgia, if they get 4 or more points, will have their licenses suspended. (It's on page 118 of your state's Drivers Manual.) So you'd really better drive carefully until you're 18 - or you won't be driving for a while.