How Certain Types Of Traffic Citations Have A Larger Impact Than Others On Auto Insurance Premiums
Every traffic ticket that you receive will appear on your driver abstract and will affect your insurance rate. Auto insurance rates can differ significantly from one insurance company to another. The best way to determine which company can offer you the best coverage that you need at the lowest rates is to obtain several auto insurance quotes. To determine auto insurance rates, insurance companies will require certain information from you. This combination of factors includes the type of vehicle you drive as well as your individual information. They will ask you how long you have been licensed, if you have ever had insurance, and if you have any traffic tickets, suspensions, or at-fault accidents. If you answer yes to any of these, they will affect your insurance premiums.
Traffic violations can be categorized into 3 main classifications; minor, major, and serious. All of these violations will affect your insurance premiums, but depending on which one you have been charged with, some of these will affect your rates more than others.
Minor traffic tickets include such charges as speeding, failure to use a seatbelt, failing to signal, failing to yield, improper lane change, and failure to produce proof of insurance. Infractions that fit into the major ticket category include speeding 60mph over the posted or set speed limit, failing to report an accident, driving without insurance, improper passing in a school or playground zone, and making a false statement of insurance. The most serious infractions are also considered criminal violations. These have the largest impact on your insurance rates. Some violations include impaired driving, having a BAC over 0.08 or the set limit in your state or province, careless driving, undue care and attention, dangerous driving, driving while suspended, stunting, refusing a breathalyzer, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
All drivers start off with no demerits on their driving record. When you receive a ticket, you get a number of demerits, depending on the severity of the offense and these demerits stay on your record for at least 2 years after the date of conviction. If you accumulate too many demerits, this will result in a suspension, which will also affect your insurance premiums.
Parking tickets do not give you demerits nor do they appear on your driving record. You will still have to pay them before you can renew your vehicle registration. In short, drive carefully and safely and do everything in your power not to get any traffic tickets. No tickets on your record will help to keep your insurance rates lower and will qualify you for good driver discounts. When you receive auto insurance quotes, you will get lower quotes with a clean record.
