Driver Improvement Program Archives

Traffic Tickets And The Missouri Driver Improvement Program…

01FebJanuary 27, 2021 By Charles Moore

TRAFFIC TICKETS AND THE MISSOURI DRIVER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Over the last few years, more and more municipalities are making the resolution of traffic tickets by clients to first complete the Missouri Driver Improvement Program, or “DIP”.

As a careless driving traffic ticket attorney St. Peters, I am very familiar with all the workings of the various municipal courts in St. Charles County. The traditional system where prosecutors were amenable to reducing tickets to non-moving violations in exchange for a fine has been heavily scrutinized.

Most of this scrutiny has been negative and as a result changes have been made.

The Missouri Supreme Court now caps how much some municipalities in and around the St. Louis area can charge drivers for traffic ticket fines. And they also cap the percentage of revenue for a town that can come from court fines.

One effect this has had for a traffic ticket St. Charles are lower fines but prosecutors requiring some action by the driver to show improvement. More and more, we are seeing a requirement that our clients complete the Missouri Driver Improvement Program.

Sometimes we are seeing that the prosecutor allow an amendment to a non-moving violation with no points (which keeps your insurance premiums lower) after the driver shows completion of the program. And in other cases, the program must be completed before the prosecutor will even offer an amendment.

This eight (8) hour program is essentially a defense driving class with information about how to avoid a DWI charge, how to safely share the road, rights-of-way, speeding, blind spots and tailgating. It also discusses the dangers of texting and driving and other forms of distracted drivers.

It can be taken online and the cost ranges from $12 to $30 depending on the approved provider you use.

In some cases, the Missouri Driver Improvement Program is used by traffic ticket attorney near me to lessen more serious charges that may not otherwise be amended. In other words, lawyers sometimes use the availability of the program proactively to get a better outcome for their clients. Our office has used this tactic many times with consistent success.

The DIP class must not only be court approved by you must receive a passing score of 70% or better. Once completed, the proof of completion is usually forwarded to the court. You can also contact your insurance agent to find out if completing the court can ensure your insurance rates will stay the same, regardless of the outcome of your case.

Here is a link to the course: http://missourisafetycenter.com

Missouri Traffic Tickets: Our Process

28JulJuly 21, 2020 By Charles Moore

MISSOURI TRAFFIC TICKETS: OUR PROCESS

Traffic Ticket Center in St. Charles County, Missouri can assist you with your St. Peters speeding ticket or St. Peters traffic ticket.

We are highly experienced in helping clients with traffic violations in all areas of Missouri, including: Kansas City, St. Louis, Mid-Missouri, Northwest Missouri, Northeast Missouri, Southeast Missouri, Southwest Missouri and Missouri Highway Patrol.

HOW IT WORKS

GET A QUOTE

First, call our office to provide your contact information, your traffic ticket number, the violation, and the city or county where you received your ticket so we can provide you with a quote.

HIRE AN ATTORNEY

Once we know more specifics about your situation, we will provide you with your options. You can hire us at our office or over the telephone. Convenience and speed are major positives of hiring our firm to represent you.

WE CONTACT THE PROSECUTOR

When you give us your consent to proceed, we will begin by entering a “Not Guilty” plea on your behalf. We will notify the prosecutor of all facts in your favor. Are you a good driver? Are you a good citizen? In the military? Was the weather bad that day? Were you having a bad day? Our job is to present you as a person rather than a name on a piece of paper. We put your best foot forward which can often make a huge difference in the disposition of the case (how the case is resolved).

NEGOTIATING A RESOLUTION

Next, the attorney will negotiate with the Prosecutor to amend the charges against you. The goal is to avoid accumulation of points on your license which also avoids an increase in insurance rates. Some cases are much harder to negotiate with than others. For example, if you get a speeding ticket for driving 45 in a 30 mph zone that’s one thing. However, 75 in a 30 mph zone is a different story. Luckily, we know that there are alternative sentencing options out there. For example, for high speed, prosecutors will often reduce the ticket to a non-moving violation (what you want) if you complete a Driver Improvement Program (DIP).

SUBMIT PLEA & PAYMENT TO THE COURT

Once we receive an amended charge from the Prosecution, we will call you and discuss the process moving forward. Payment of fines can often be done via credit card or check. You will have to pay your fine and enter your guilty plea to the amended charge.

CONCLUSION

I’ve practiced law in California and New Jersey and I can tell you that the process for traffic ticket attorney is much different in those states than here. St. Louis is particularly unique even in Missouri. Nevertheless this is the system we have. But, most of that system works to your favor. It’s much cheaper here to resolve tickets, you often don’t even need to meet with your lawyer and you will almost never need to go to court unless your charged with a serious matter like a DWI.

Traffic Ticket center can assist you with your traffic ticket as well as DWI’s, alcohol and drug offenses and general criminal defense. Call us today at (636) 486-2669.

19DecDecember 13, 2019 By Charles Moore

AVOID POINTS BY HIRING A TRAFFIC LAWYER

The last time you got a speeding ticket, a friend probably said avoid points and hire a traffic lawyer St. Peters. If you didn’t, you may have noticed a few months later that your insurance rates went up.

Why would that happen?

Well, points affect drivers in two ways. First, moving violations such as speeding and careless driving St. Peters carry points if you plead guilty. Acquire too many points and your license can be suspended. But second, acquiring appoints also affects your insurance rates, because insurance companies have access to your driving records. Someone who has plead guilty to speeding is (arguably) a riskier driver to insure. When that driver’s rates are eventually re-calculated, they’ll go up if there is a points conviction.

Take a look at just how much your insurance can be raised for certain violations, according to insurance.com :

reckless driving — 73 percent
speeding — 20 percent
illegal turn — 20 percent
DUI — 79 percent
failure to stop — 19 percent
at-fault bodily injury accident — 32 percent
at-fault property damage accident — 29 percent

Imagine your insurance is $1,200 per year. That’s $120 per month. But an increase of 73% means your insurance would cost $2,076 per year, or $173 per month. Ouch!

So what’s the solution? Hire a traffic lawyer St. Peters. A traffic lawyer can usually get the violations carrying points amended to violations that do not carry points. You’ll still have to pay a fine, but you won’t take the points and therefore you won’t have your insurance rates skyrocket.

The other benefit is that in most cases, you won’t even have to appear in court. That will save time and remember, often municipal court dockets are at night. Who wants to go to court at night?

Often we get calls from clients who have been received a speeding ticket St. Peters in which they were 30 miles per hour or higher over the speed limit. Depending on which court has that ticket, our office can usually work with prosecutors to save points. Often a driver will have to complete a Driver Improvement Program (DIP) in addition to paying a fine. Missouri’s DIP is an online course that assists driver’s to improve their defensive driving skills while reviewing traffic laws.

It should be pointed out that the St. Louis Metropolitan Area is very unique in terms of allowing drivers to plead to amended charges for things like speeding, in exchange for a fine. In more rural parts of the state it can much more difficult to achieve an amended traffic ticket without points. Again, always call a traffic lawyer to see how they can help.

Traffic Ticket Center is located at 4215 S. Old Highway 94 in St. Charles, Missouri. We are right next to the DMV in Harvester. We assist clients with traffic tickets of all kinds, including speeding, careless driving, commercial driving violations, suspended licenses, marijuana charges and DWI / DUI. Call us today for a free consultation. (636) 486-2669.

Can I Remove Points From My Record After Pleading Guilty to a Speeding Ticket in Missouri?

24JanJanuary 24, 2017 By Charles Moore

Can I Remove Points From My Record After Pleading Guilty to a Speeding Ticket in Missouri?

That depends.

In some counties in Missouri, particularly the rural ones, prosecutors will often not reduce a speeding ticket to a non-moving violation. If you plead guilty in that case, you might be able to take a class called the Driver Improvement Program (DIP) in Missouri. If you are eligible, taking the class will remove the points from your record. The judge has to approve your taking the class and it must be completed within 60 days after a guilty plea.

Now here’s the catch. Even if you take the class, the points will be taken off your record but the conviction for speeding can and will show up on your driving record. That means your insurance company will probably still increase your rates.

Remember, in Missouri if you get eight points on your Missouri driving record within 18 months your license is suspended for 30 days. Your license will be revoked for a year if you get 12 points within 12 months.

That is why DIP could be really important for you if you already have several points on your driver’s record.

Here is a link for more information about the Driver Improvement Program in Missouri: https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=1940