California drivers caught running red lights may be wondering if they have to pay the hefty fines that come with it. While some experts say paying the tickets is the way to go, others argue that ignoring them is a viable option.
Kris Kahrs was shocked when she received a $486 ticket in the mail after being caught by a red-light camera in North Hollywood. She eventually paid a company called Ticket Snipers $179 to fight her ticket in court, citing problems with electronically issued violations such as calibration issues and lack of human witness.
Jay Beeber, a representative from the National Motorists Association, explains that California law doesn't require drivers to answer or pay their tickets if they don't. "The only thing they can do is send it to a collection agency," he says. However, collection agencies have no power over individuals and cannot report unpaid debts to credit reporting agencies.
A 2016 court case confirms Beeber's statements, as the three major credit reporting agencies reached a voluntary settlement with 31 state attorneys general, agreeing to stop reporting debt from certain fines, including tickets.
So why are red-light camera tickets still being issued? According to Beeber, it's because many people simply pay them. Additionally, hidden fees, such as the $100 citation and additional costs, have been tacked onto the initial fine.
Beeber also notes that California lawmakers have been using traffic violations as a revenue generator for the state, often for unrelated purposes, like funding conservation efforts.
The majority of red-light camera tickets are for minor infractions that might not even be noticeable to drivers. These "Mickey Mouse violations" can lead to costly fines, but Beeber argues that they're not worth it.
In response to public pressure, a new California law has gone into effect that gives cities and counties the option to classify red-light camera tickets as civil rather than criminal offenses. This would allow violators to pay a lower fine of $100 without adding points to their license.
Ultimately, drivers should be aware of their local court policies and the implications of responding to a red-light citation. Ignoring the ticket might seem like an easy way out, but it's essential to understand the potential consequences before deciding what to do.
Kris Kahrs was shocked when she received a $486 ticket in the mail after being caught by a red-light camera in North Hollywood. She eventually paid a company called Ticket Snipers $179 to fight her ticket in court, citing problems with electronically issued violations such as calibration issues and lack of human witness.
Jay Beeber, a representative from the National Motorists Association, explains that California law doesn't require drivers to answer or pay their tickets if they don't. "The only thing they can do is send it to a collection agency," he says. However, collection agencies have no power over individuals and cannot report unpaid debts to credit reporting agencies.
A 2016 court case confirms Beeber's statements, as the three major credit reporting agencies reached a voluntary settlement with 31 state attorneys general, agreeing to stop reporting debt from certain fines, including tickets.
So why are red-light camera tickets still being issued? According to Beeber, it's because many people simply pay them. Additionally, hidden fees, such as the $100 citation and additional costs, have been tacked onto the initial fine.
Beeber also notes that California lawmakers have been using traffic violations as a revenue generator for the state, often for unrelated purposes, like funding conservation efforts.
The majority of red-light camera tickets are for minor infractions that might not even be noticeable to drivers. These "Mickey Mouse violations" can lead to costly fines, but Beeber argues that they're not worth it.
In response to public pressure, a new California law has gone into effect that gives cities and counties the option to classify red-light camera tickets as civil rather than criminal offenses. This would allow violators to pay a lower fine of $100 without adding points to their license.
Ultimately, drivers should be aware of their local court policies and the implications of responding to a red-light citation. Ignoring the ticket might seem like an easy way out, but it's essential to understand the potential consequences before deciding what to do.
. So basically, they're saying that if you ignore those red light tickets, nothing bad will happen to you? But at the same time, paying them can be super expensive and there's all these hidden fees 
. I think it's kinda crazy how some people are just paying up without even fighting it, while others are trying to avoid getting penalized in the first place 
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. And then you add on all these extra fees... no wonder people are skeptical about paying them 
. But on the other hand, if you ignore it and get caught later, you could still end up with some serious consequences 
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. Anyway, I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out 
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I mean, come on! $486 for running a red light? That's crazy! 
. And now they're introducing a new law that's like, "Hey, if you don't want to pay your ticket, just do nothing and hope it goes away" 
. We need better rules in place so cities & counties dont keep screwing over their citizens like this. Maybe if they gave more info about what happens when you ignore a ticket, people would be less likely to just pay 'em without thinking it thru 
... California drivers are being nickel-and-dimed with those crazy fines for running red lights! Like, hello? It's not worth risking your license or causing stress just to avoid a few hundred bucks 
It's all about the Benjamins, right? 
- what even is that? It sounds like a total scam. And yeah, I know some people will just pay up, but that's not the right solution either. We need to hold these cities and counties accountable for how they're using our tax dollars... err, I mean, traffic fines.
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. And what about that $100 citation fee? It's like they're adding extra salt to the wound 
. We need to question our government's motives and not just blindly follow the rules 
Kris's story is so relatable tho - she paid some other company to fight her ticket for them & it cost $179 lol what a waste of $$$ 
. and its all bc Cali lawmakers are usin' traffic violns as revenue 2 fund other stuff that has nothin 2 do w/ it 
. thats a lil better, but u still gotta pay $100 or whatever 
those red light cameras are still catchin' people off guard and tacklin on them fees 