The Importance of Contesting a Traffic Ticket as an Out-of-State Driver

Receiving a traffic ticket can be overwhelming enough, let alone receiving one that isn’t in your home state. You may be unfamiliar with the area, and you may be unfamiliar with the state laws as well. Regardless of where you obtained your citation, you risk an increase of points on your driving record. Knowing how to handle this situation can help alleviate the stress, along with potential consequences, that come with receiving an out-of-state traffic violation.

Driving Records and Point Systems

Many states operate by using a point system when it comes to traffic violations. Point systems were implemented to help keep drivers accountable while on the road. When you receive a traffic citation, points are added to your record; the number varies depending on the violation. Accumulating points on your driving record can lead to higher insurance rates, and accumulating 10 points within a 5-year period can result in license suspension.

How Does My Home State Know If I Received a Traffic Ticket Out-of-State?

If you received a traffic citation somewhere other than your home state, it doesn’t just go away. The violation will still appear on your driving record, accumulating points and potentially impacting your insurance premiums. This is due to the Driver License Compact:

“ The Driver License Compact is an interstate compact used by States of the United States to exchange information concerning license suspensions and traffic violations of non-residents and forward them to the state where they are licensed known as the home state. Its theme is One Driver, One License, One Record. The home state would treat the offense as if it had been committed at home, applying home state laws to the out-of-state offense,” ( National Center for Interstate Compacts, The Council of State Governments ).

For example, if you are from Arkansas, but are traveling through Oklahoma and receive a speeding violation, the points you accumulate from your speeding ticket will be posted onto your Arkansas driving record. Any other traffic violation laws in Arkansas may then apply to you, even though your ticket was in Oklahoma.

Hiring an Attorney

If you received a traffic ticket not in your home state, hiring a traffic attorney within that state can be extremely helpful. Relying on someone who is up-to-date on traffic law can help reduce the amount of stress (and potential consequences) that a traffic citation can have. To receive a free consultation of your citation, you can upload it through our website, or give us a call at (918) 947-9225 .