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openmind
curious


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 13,866
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Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it?
#27140311 - 01/10/21 06:01 PM (3 years, 18 days ago) |
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*UPDATE 3-2-21 : I paid the ticket but didn't take the traffic school, now I have 1 point on my driving record, but the cost of my new insurance policy has not increased at all.
TLDR: Is it worth it to take driving school after getting a speeding ticket to keep the point off the driving-record and keep insurance rates from increasing? I've been driving for 15+ years and my record is clean otherwise.
I got my first speeding ticket, which is the first charge/fine of any sort I received in my life.
70mph in a 55mph. I was cruising along and just didn't realize how fast I was going. But I was in fact speeding, I'm not going to contest it lol. I was just glad the officer was quick and straight forward about the stop/transaction and didn't ask any other questions besides asking for license/registration/insurance, since I had cannabis in my backpack and I had hit a vape-pen earlier that morning (tho this is in a legal state I still worry about the smell of cannabis raising suspicion and getting a "DUI" just because I have cannabinoids in my system even if I wasn't anywhere near high while driving).
I plan on paying the fine of $200.
I know there is an option to take "driving school" which cost around $90 to $100 for the most part. From what I understand this will stop the point/infraction from going onto one's driving-record and therefor will keep insurance rates from increasing (such a scam IMO). But since this is my very first ticket of any sort after driving for 15+ years, I have a totally clean driving/criminal record all around, is my insurance rate really going to go up that drastically (or at all) ?
As someone that's super broke and just barely getting by, I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to pay the $100 chunk right now and take the driving school or just pay a little bit more on insurance every month over the stretch of 3 years (the point goes off the record a little after 3 years). I'm also curious how much my insurance might go up or if at all since my driving-record has been clean for so long....I'm paying $60 a month right now. And this is in California if it makes any difference.
-OM
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Edited by openmind (03/02/21 01:54 PM)
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Ahab McBathsalts
OTD Windmill Administrator




Registered: 11/25/02
Posts: 35,107
Loc: Wind Turbine, AB
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: openmind]
#27140321 - 01/10/21 06:06 PM (3 years, 18 days ago) |
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The program will always be cheaper in the long run, but depends on the state. One ticket shouldn't move your insurance rates. Usually it takes a couple.
-------------------- "Nobody exists on purpose. Nobody belongs anywhere. Everybody's going to die."
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schmutzen
King of the side-pins



Registered: 12/03/02
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: Ahab McBathsalts]
#27140756 - 01/10/21 08:53 PM (3 years, 18 days ago) |
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My FIL almost lost his DL from speeding tickets. In Wisconsin you start out with 12, he was down to only 1 or 2 points left. I'll ask him how much his insurance went up and get back to you.
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"Blow up your TV, throw away your paper. Go to the country, build you a home."
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openmind
curious


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 13,866
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: schmutzen]
#27141714 - 01/11/21 10:26 AM (3 years, 17 days ago) |
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Quote:
Ahab McBathsalts said: ....One ticket shouldn't move your insurance rates. Usually it takes a couple.
That's what I was thinking too.
Especially since I've been driving for 15+ years with out any tickets/points of any sort on my record and I'm no longer a "young/high risk" driver.
Quote:
namaste said: My FIL almost lost his DL from speeding tickets. In Wisconsin you start out with 12, he was down to only 1 or 2 points left. I'll ask him how much his insurance went up and get back to you.
Damn....Yea just out of curiosity I'm def interested in hearing about how much someone would have to pay after getting that many speeding tickets lol . (tho I imagine insurance rates over there are a bit different than Cali)
In Cali people start with 0 points and each infraction/fine adds a point or two to their record...I'm pretty sure once one has like 3+ points on their driving record it is no bueno.
I'm a pretty passive driver and not a total asshole on the roads and usually don't drive any more than 10mph over the speed limit at the most, but over the past month or two I have been driving kinda fast lately on my way back home from work lol....Several stretches of highway I've been cruising around 100mph to 120mph lol (open straight highway with few cars around, Cali needs to turn parts of I-5 into an autobahn lol), so I'll take this 70mph in a 55mph ticket as a huge warning and a sign to slow down lol ....and I have lol .
-OM
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drr

Registered: 05/20/09
Posts: 8,444
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: openmind]
#27141786 - 01/11/21 11:05 AM (3 years, 17 days ago) |
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I completed driving school as ordered by a judge who reduced my fine for a speeding ticket.
I did it online at one of the big online driving schools. It was like 10 bucks with a discount and took 10 minutes to complete. I’d say if it helps keep it off your record it’s definitely worth the trouble.
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Brian Jones
Club 27



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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: drr]
#27141898 - 01/11/21 11:53 AM (3 years, 17 days ago) |
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Hell yes, it's worth it. A couple years ago they got me for 76 in a 55, and the cop wrote it down to 75 for a lesser ticket. I had to spend 3 hours in the class, but the ticket's gone and my insurance company never knew about it.
-------------------- "The Rolling Stones will break up over Brian Jones' dead body" John Lennon I don't want no commies in my car. No Christians either. The worst thing about corruption is that it works so well,
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Dilsnique
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: Brian Jones] 1
#27141938 - 01/11/21 12:27 PM (3 years, 17 days ago) |
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Quote:
Brian Jones said: I had to spend 3 hours in the class, but the ticket's gone and my insurance company never knew about it.
Indeed. When I did my class, the instructor showed us this cartoon:
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openmind
curious


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 13,866
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: drr]
#27143993 - 01/12/21 02:24 PM (3 years, 16 days ago) |
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Quote:
drr said: I completed driving school as ordered by a judge who reduced my fine for a speeding ticket.
I did it online at one of the big online driving schools. It was like 10 bucks with a discount and took 10 minutes to complete. I’d say if it helps keep it off your record it’s definitely worth the trouble.
Only $10? That's super cheap. How big was the discount?
My friend told me his online driving school cost around $100 and that's why I'm considering not taking it.
Maybe different states have different driving school costs? (I'm in Cali)
The point will be off my driving-record in 3 years anyways, it's not permanent...If it's not going to make my insurance go up drastically, or at all, I don't have a problem with having a single point on my record.
-OM
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schmutzen
King of the side-pins



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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: openmind]
#27144011 - 01/12/21 02:36 PM (3 years, 16 days ago) |
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I spoke with my FIL today, not sure if he racked up all those points in WI or IL or both. He said his insurance really didn't increase significantly, maybe $50 a few times, he did receive letters that there were some 'recalculations' lol. He claims they have to actively search your record, that many times the insurance company will not be informed of the infractions. Though he has heard horror stories of some people's premiums actually doubling. He currently has five vehicles and he pays full insurance on all them... even though he can only drive one at a time.
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"Blow up your TV, throw away your paper. Go to the country, build you a home."
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drr

Registered: 05/20/09
Posts: 8,444
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: openmind]
#27144040 - 01/12/21 02:52 PM (3 years, 16 days ago) |
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I’m in Cali too. I just checked my old emails it was trafficschool.com
I think I googled for a promo code and got a discount, can’t remember how much it was but I just remember at the end it was $10.
Maybe you have to take a more complicated course? Idk
I just remember I paid, skipped the videos, went straight to the test and passed it the first time.
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drr

Registered: 05/20/09
Posts: 8,444
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: drr]
#27144048 - 01/12/21 02:54 PM (3 years, 16 days ago) |
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Is “traffic school” different from “driving school”???
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TWR
Stranger
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: openmind]
#27185597 - 02/04/21 04:42 AM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
openmind said: TLDR: Is it worth it to take driving school after getting a speeding ticket to keep the point off the driving-record and keep insurance rates from increasing? I've been driving for 15+ years and my record is clean otherwise.
Absolutely. Maybe you'll get lucky with COVID-19 and the class is completely online. From my experience, the tests aren't hard at all.
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badchad
Mad Scientist

Registered: 03/02/05
Posts: 13,372
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: openmind]
#27185827 - 02/04/21 08:46 AM (2 years, 11 months ago) |
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Do the math.
Figure out if points will be added and for how long. Then call your insurance and ask how it'll affect your rates.
-------------------- ...the whole experience is (and is as) a profound piece of knowledge. It is an indellible experience; it is forever known. I have known myself in a way I doubt I would have ever occurred except as it did. Smith, P. Bull. Menninger Clinic (1959) 23:20-27; p. 27. ...most subjects find the experience valuable, some find it frightening, and many say that is it uniquely lovely. Osmond, H. Annals, NY Acad Science (1957) 66:418-434; p.436
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openmind
curious


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 13,866
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Re: Taking "driving school" after speeding ticket...Is it worth it? [Re: openmind]
#27233726 - 03/02/21 01:45 PM (2 years, 10 months ago) |
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Just a random up-date.....
I paid the ticket last month and didn't do any traffic school, so now I do have 1-point on my driving record for the next 3 years. If I decided to take the traffic school it was going to cost me more up-front (the county wanted more $ from me on top of the ticket fine if I was going to take traffic school, separate from the cost of the traffic school itself).
My new insurance policy started yesterday and there has been no increase in the cost at all compared to my previous insurance policy from last year .
-OM
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Edited by openmind (03/02/21 01:52 PM)
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