When you buy a t-shirt at the River Park Shopping Center or some other mall in Fresno, you expect to pay some hidden costs, like the state and local sales tax, as well as some indirect costs, like the price of the gasoline you burned to get there and back. But these add-ons pale in comparison to a California traffic ticket.

Every citation typically has ten add-ons: six penalty assessments, one state surcharge, and three fees. Taken together, these add-ons far exceed the fine. There are indirect costs as well, such as the time off work spent dealing with the ticket and, even bigger, the increased insurance premiums. Serious citations, like 100+mph speeding or reckless driving, may cause rates to double or even triple, in some cases.

If you do not appear or pay on time, regardless of the reason, the state automatically tacks on another fee and suspends your drivers’ license.

Penalty Assessments

At $29 for every $10 in fines, California’s penalty assessments are easily among the highest in the country. The only way to avoid paying them, aside from ignoring your current citation, is to contact an experienced attorney.

It took over fifty years for penalty assessments to grow to where they are now, so it is rather silly to think that the Legislature will erase them overnight. The best approach is not to take on the world and try to change the system, but to leverage your individual defenses into a reduction in your specific case.

Getting Legal Help

The aggressive lawyers at Bigger & Harman, APC, are committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets. Call today at 661-859-1177 or email attorney@markbigger.com to receive the personal professional attention you deserve. En español, llame al 661-376-0214.