Reader’s Question:

I received a citation in Washington but I want to fight it in court so my insurance rate will not go up. What do I need to do?

Julie

Thank you for asking Julie.

An individual found to have committed a traffic violation shall be assessed a monetary penalty that is ordered by the Washington supreme court. According to the current monetary schedule no penalty for traffic violations shall exceed $250.

If you want to fight the citation in court you may need to contact the entity listed on the back of the ticket and get information on how to do so. You might be able to reduce or dismiss the charge by taking traffic school.

According to the Washington Department of Insurance, insurance carriers can charge a surcharge to motorist convicted of serious moving violations so if the traffic violation ends up making it onto your driving record then it is likely that your insurance rates could go up , depending on your insurance company’s rating system.

Goodluck!

MariCAR