Traffic Fine In Florida Can Be Reduced By Traffic School

TLDR

Going to Traffic school in Florida for a traffic ticket reduces your traffic fine by 18% and prevent points from being added to your driving record. Florida Statute 318.14(9) provides for an 18% fine reduction when electing a driver improvement course for eligible non-criminal traffic infractions.

How Traffic School Reduces Fines and Points in Florida

Completing a Florida Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course (Traffic School) provides an 18% reduction on your traffic fine and prevents points from being added to your driving record. This benefit was created to encourage traffic violators to attend traffic school. Other benefits include no adjudication of guilt (maintaining a clean driving record and Safe Driver status on Driver's License) and preventing insurance premium increases pursuant to FL Statute 626.9541.

• Fine Reduction: Automatic 18% reduction on original traffic fine amount
• Point Prevention: Zero points added to driving record upon completion
• Insurance Protection: Prevents insurance rate increases per Florida Statute 626.9541, saving as much as hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
• Maintain your Safe Driver Status on your Driver's License
• Multiple Benefits: Single course completion provides all four protections simultaneously

The 4-hour BDI course offered by Florida's largest online provider LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com meets all Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles requirements and is state-approved in all 67 Florida counties.

Choosing the Right Florida Traffic School Course

Most drivers seeking ticket dismissal need the 4-hour BDI (basic driver improvement) course (Traffic School). There is an 8-hour course available for drivers in Palm Beach, Broward, Dade, Orange, and Seminole county if approved by the Court which offers the course for a second moving violation within a 12 month period. Drivers who have received a multitude of tickets within a specific timeframe (for example, accumulating 12 points in 12 months) are required to take an Advance Driver Improvement (ADI) course. All these courses are available with Florida's largest online provider of traffic school and driver education, LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com - Florida's most trusted provider.

Step-by-Step Guide to Dismissing Your Florida Ticket

Successfully dismissing a traffic ticket requires completing specific steps within court deadlines to ensure proper processing and violation dismissal. Following this structured process prevents missed deadlines and ensures your completion certificate reaches the appropriate court authorities.

1. Notify the Clerk of Court that you are Electing the Traffic School Option: Review your citation and formally elect traffic school with the clerk of court within 30 days of receiving your ticket, either online, by mail, or in person.
2. Enroll in a State-Approved BDI Course: Register with a Florida-approved provider like LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com for the 4-hour BDI course, ensuring statewide approval and transparent pricing without hidden fees.
3. Complete Course: Work through the 100% online material at your own pace.
4. Submit Certificate to Court: Receive your completion certificate via regular US mail or choose expedited delivery options, then ensure it reaches the court before their final deadline (typically 60 days from the date of your traffic school election).
5. Verify Dismissal: Confirm with the Clerk of Court that your case shows as dismissed and monitor your driving record to ensure no points appear from the violation.

Common Florida Traffic School Mistakes to Avoid

Missing Critical Deadlines

Failing to complete the course and submit certificates by court deadlines results in adjudication of guilt, points on your record, payment of the full fine, and a processing fee of up to $18.

Measuring Traffic School Success and Value

The true value of completing traffic school extends beyond the immediate fine reduction to long-term financial and driving record benefits. A successful outcome means paying reduced fines, maintaining a clean driving record, avoiding insurance premium increases, and receiving official dismissal confirmation from the court.

• Financial Savings: 18% fine reduction plus avoided insurance increases over multiple years. The savings from premium increases could be hundreds to thousands of dollars over a 3-year period.
• Driving Record Protection: Zero points added, preventing potential license suspension from point accumulation and insurance rate increases. Also, you'll be able to maintain your Safe Driver status on your Florida Driver's License.
• Legal Resolution: Official case dismissal rather than conviction on driving record
• Future Flexibility: Preservation of traffic school eligibility for future violations within calendar and lifetime limits

Your Florida Traffic School Action Checklist

• Step 1: Review ticket for traffic school election deadline (typically 30 days from receipt)
• Step 2: Notify the Clerk of Court that you're choosing the traffic school option and enroll in state-approved BDI course
• Step 3: Complete online course
• Step 4: Submit completion certificate to the Clerk of Court before the deadline (typically 60 days from your traffic school election date)
• Step 5: Verify dismissal with court and check driving record for accuracy

Frequently Asked Questions

Does traffic school reduce fines in Florida?

Yes, electing to attend traffic school reduces your civil fine by 18% pursuant to Florida Statute 318.14(9). You can enroll in a state-approved course from trusted providers like LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com and SafeDriver.com to reduce fines.

How do you get a traffic ticket dismissed in Florida?

Notify the Clerk of Court that you are electing the traffic school option. By completing a state-approved driver improvement course, which you can find through trusted providers like LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com and SafeDriver.com, your ticket will be dismissed following notification of completion to the Clerk of Court in the country where you received the ticket.

How long do I have to take traffic school after a ticket in Florida?

You must make your election to attend traffic school within 30 days of getting your ticket and you must complete traffic school within 60 days of your election date. You can complete your course online with LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com, Florida's largest online provider.

How many points does traffic school remove in Florida?

In Florida, completing a state-approved traffic school, such as the Basic Driver Improvement course offered by LowestPriceTrafficSchool.com, does not remove existing points. Rather, it prevents points from being added to your record for a recent traffic ticket - typically 3 or 4 points. This prevents your insurance rates from increasing pursuant to Florida Statue 626.9541.

Citations

• https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/education-courses/driver-improvement-schools/basic-driver-improvement-bdi-find-approved-listing-bdi-course-providers/
• https://www.flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/education-courses/driver-improvement-schools/
• https://www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/services/traffic-tickets/traffic-school
• https://www.hillsclerk.com/trafficschool
• https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0318/Sections/0318.14.html
• https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0626/Sections/0626.9541.html