Legal Tips and Resources

Whether you’re out of state for vacation or for business, the driving laws apply to you no matter where you are. What happens if you are pulled over far from home? Since you aren’t in your home state, you may wonder if it matters at all. You receive the ticket, but you won’t be in the state for much longer, do you have to listen to it? Some do not think that the ticket will follow them back to their home state. The truth is that the ticket probably will.

Interstate Reciprocal Agreements

Most states share information on convictions with each other. The only states that do not have to report the violation are Georgia, Michigan, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Tennessee. Now this does not necessarily mean that the state will not report it. Even in states that are not a part of the agreement tend to notify the out-of-state driver’s state. These states also tend to receive violations from other states. Now, if you do not pay your ticket and you live in a state that is a part of the agreement, then you could have your license suspended.

Fighting the Charge

If you go home after receiving your traffic ticket, it is difficult to make an appearance in court. When you are pulled over out of state, you cannot stay there. This does not mean that you cannot fight the charge. Instead, you can contest it through an affidavit. Often you can send in a written affidavit to argue the charge.

Convictions and Reporting

What happens when you are convicted of a traffic violation? If you are convicted in another state, then your home state will probably hear about it. Now, some states will not record the violation if it is a minor offense. In others, they will not assign points but will record the violation. Others may do both of those things. Each state has its own laws and standards when it comes to reporting. Keep in mind that if you have a serious offense, it will go on your driving record. When it comes to any violation, your DMV record will always have these violations for your insurance company to see.

To be pulled over while on vacation can ruin your trip. If you have an out of state ticket, it can become a complicated legal issue. In order to make sure that you handle it properly, speak with a speeding ticket lawyer in Abingdon, VA today and find out how to fight your ticket.

Thanks to The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt for their insight into traffic ticket law and out of state tickets.