Traffic Infractions

While traffic infractions are civil and not criminal, they can have significant financial and personal repercussions. A finding of “committed” on a traffic infraction may result in: increased insurance premiums, mandatory traffic safety courses, and license suspension. You MUST respond within 30 days of receiving your infraction. You can respond be either; paying the ticket, requesting a hearing by completing the section on your ticket, or hiring an attorney.

While Washington does not utilize a traditional point system like some other states, infractions received in Washington may still be reported to the licensing state of non-resident drivers. Depending on the jurisdiction, your home state may assess penalty points according to its own laws.

Morgan Law can assist drivers facing standard moving violations as well as those facing the heightened stakes associated with a CDL.

Deferring a Traffic Infraction

Drivers may be eligible to defer a traffic infraction to avoid having it appear on their driving record. Washington law allows one deferral for a moving violation and one for a non-moving violation every seven years. To be eligible for a deferral, a driver cannot possess a commercial driver’s license and must not have received a deferral within the past seven years.

If granted, the court will require payment of an administrative fee in lieu of the standard fine on your ticket. The infraction will then be placed in a pending status for one year. If no further violations occur during that time, the infraction will be dismissed. However, if you commit another traffic offense within the deferral period, the original infraction will also be deemed committed, and you will maintain the ineligibility for another deferral for the next seven years.

Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)

If you possess a CDL, you are ineligible to amend infractions to a lesser violation and you are ineligible to enter into a deferral. In addition, CDL holders may face CDL suspension if they have too many committed infractions on their driving record within a specified period of time, which can prevent a driver from being able to work.