Are Parking Tickets Violations

Many drivers ask the question, Are Parking Tickets Violations? The simple answer is no, parking tickets are not considered an actual violation or moving violation but they do carry penalties that should not be ignored. Depending on the state, unpaid parking tickets can lead to suspension of a driver’s license or worse. Read on to learn more about tickets and how to fight an unfair one.

A traffic violation is different from a parking violation because a traffic violation must be committed by you, the driver. Any car can get a parking ticket, regardless of who is driving the car at the time. The parking ticket is written to the owner of the vehicle, not the present driver. A traffic violation is written out to the operator of the car at the time, not the actual owner.

You will likely be issued a parking ticket if you park your motor vehicle in a restricted area. You may also be cited for parking in an unauthorized area or for going over a parking meter limit. For example, you cannot park your vehicle in the middle of a busy highway or road virtually anywhere in the United States, but you can usually park on either side of the road unless otherwise stated. The rules and regulations regarding tickets vary from state to state. Most states allow tickets to reach a certain point before they take action against the owner of the vehicle.

It may be tempting to take your parking ticket and shove it into your glove-box. But parking tickets add up and your information may even be sent on to a collection agency for non-payment. In some municipalities, ignoring multiple tickets for too long will result in having your license suspended. It is not uncommon for the area to place a “boot” on your vehicle if you do not pay your outstanding parking tickets or to even have your car towed. Many drivers have found that unpaid parking violations ended up affecting their credit score negatively, so it is always important to pay any ticket you receive as soon as possible.

However, just because you received a ticket doesn’t mean you are not allowed to fight it. If you believe that you received an unfair ticket, review the following strategies for taking it to court and fighting before a judge:

Examine the Ticket- Pay attention to the dates and times of the ticket. Find out where you need to go to contest the ticket, what time and what you may need to bring. Look for any inaccurate information that could help you win your case. For example, if the wrong car or location was written down, you may be able to have the ticket dismissed.

Know the Law- Read up on local traffic laws of your state before you take your fight to court. There may be a loophole that will get you out of paying the ticket. For example, if you were in the vehicle when the ticket was issued, you might be able to argue that only unoccupied vehicles are allowed to be ticketed. Visit State Traffic Laws to learn more.

Look for Evidence- Were there bushes or trees obstructing the sign that said No Parking? Was graffiti obscuring the sign that stated you were in a red zone? If so, make sure to snap pictures and bring them along as evidence. A photo will show the judge that you were unaware of the parking restrictions, or parking meters, and may help in having your ticket dismissed.

The question, Are Parking Tickets Violations has been asked by many drivers. While they are not as troublesome as a moving violation, such as a speeding ticket or DUI, you will still want to take care of them as soon as possible.