Red Light Tickets

Red light camera looking over an intersection.

Red Light Cameras Still Churning Out Tickets Despite Court Closures

Garden Grove and Los Alamitos continue to issue red light tickets in Orange County even though courts and government offices are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. If the courts are not open, how are you supposed to fight a red light ticket? 

Don’t ignore a red light camera traffic violation in Orange County, CA, because your driver’s license will be suspended if you do.  What can you do even though you may not be able to talk to someone at the court about the ticket? Contact a cheap traffic ticket attorney to discuss your legal rights and obligations related to a red light ticket. 

Why Did I Receive a Traffic Violation in the Mail?

Many cities throughout Orange County dismantled their red light traffic ticket system. However, Los Alamitos and Garden Grove continue to use the system to penalize drivers for running red lights. Unfortunately, red light cameras are not perfect. 

Red light cameras are supposed to generate a ticket when a vehicle enters an intersection after the traffic light turns red. Vehicles in the intersection when the traffic light turns red should not trigger a violation. If a vehicle enters the intersection after a traffic signal turns red, the camera takes a picture of the driver and the vehicle’s license plate. A traffic ticket is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. 

You have the option of paying the fine or fighting the red light ticket. Running a red light can trigger consequences other than a fine. For instance, your car insurance costs could increase in some circumstances. If you have a commercial license, running a red light could have consequences for your job if you already have several traffic infractions on your driving record. You may lose income or be forced to take vacation time or sick time if you want to fight the ticket in court.

There is a better option than ignoring the red light ticket or automatically paying a fine. 

Fighting a Red Light Ticket in Los Alamitos and Garden Grove

There may be several defenses that you can use to fight a red light ticket. Traffic cameras are not perfect. In many cases, cameras may snap a picture of the vehicle behind the vehicle that ran the right light. Instead of catching the correct driver, the red light camera catches an innocent driver. If the red light camera is not calibrated correctly, it could issue a violation even though a violation never occurred. Also, if the yellow light was not calibrated correctly (the time between the yellow light and the red light was too short), your ticket may be dismissed. 

In some cases, the picture taken by the red light camera is blurry. The photograph may not be sufficient evidence to prove that you ran the right light. If someone else was driving your vehicle at the time of the violation, you might be able to get out of the traffic ticket. You are not required to name the person in the photograph. Before doing so, you should talk to an attorney. 

Contact Cheap Traffic Ticket Attorney for More Information 

If you receive a red light ticket while courts are closed, contact our office to discuss your options. You do not need to worry about a red light ticket during this stressful time. Contact us today. Let us fight your ticket to save you money, time, and stress.

Red light camera with no turn on red sign.

Red Light Tickets in OC Since Police Writing Out Tickets Are Low in Numbers

Most of Orange County cities have stopped using red light cameras, except for Garden Grove and Los Alamitos. In those two cities, drivers continue to receive pictures of their vehicles driving through intersections with notices of a red light violation. 

However, drivers throughout the rest of Orange County may run a red light without receiving a ticket, unless a police officer witnesses the red light violation. Therefore, in some cities, the number of red light tickets is lower because police officers are not able to issue as many written tickets as red light cameras can issue.

Can You Fight A Red Light Camera Ticket?

Yes, you can fight a red light camera ticket. Running a red light is surprisingly a costly offense in California. Depending on the jurisdiction, a red light ticket can cost you between $100 and $400. In some counties in California, you could also receive points against your driver’s license for running a red light. Tickets against your driving record can also increase your car insurance premiums.

A cheap traffic ticket attorney can review your case to determine if the ticket was issued in error. The cameras are not always accurate. If they are not properly maintained, the camera could issue a ticket even though your vehicle was not actually in the intersection when the light was red. Also, if the yellow lights are not calibrated correctly, there could be too short of a pause between the caution light and the red light.

In some cases, you can fight the red light ticket if you were not driving the vehicle. The red light ticket is issued directly to the registered owner of the vehicle. However, if you were not driving, you should not be liable for the red light ticket. Likewise, if the picture taken by the red light camera was blurry, the state may not be able to prove that you were the person driving the vehicle. 

Should I Ignore a Red Light Camera Ticket?

You may have heard that if you ignore a red light ticket, the state will dismiss the ticket. That is a gamble that you may not want to take. Ignoring the ticket could result in points against your driver’s license. Even if you don’t pay the fine for running a red light, your car insurance premium could increase substantially. If you have numerous points against your driver’s license, another ticket could result in a suspended driver’s license.

Instead of ignoring the red light camera ticket, work with a cheap traffic ticket attorney to have the ticket dismissed. In some cases, if the ticket cannot be dismissed, an attorney may be able to lower the ticket to a non-point offense with a lower fine.

Contact a Cheap Traffic Ticket Attorney for Help

If you have a traffic ticket, don’t immediately pay the fine or plead guilty. First, check with a cheap traffic ticket attorney to determine if you can get out of the ticket.  Contact us today