Ginblossom

Got a ticket for blowing a redlight and causing an accident. (long story)

I can plead guilty and do a driving course and it stays off my license. I can even do it online ! Cheaper "fine" too.

When I eventually apply for citizenship, is this traffic violation something I need to declare and does it matter?

I ask as Im weighing whether to go to court and try and argue my case....(and maybes the cop wont show up)

SultanOfSwing

Yes, any traffic citations have to be listed on your N-400. I had a failure to yield and a speeding ticket and neither adversely affected my case, both fines were under $150.00 and I got 'supervision' in each case.

You can go to court if you think you have a case but word of warning - for my failure to yield (I also caused an accident but on a green light), I had to go to court as the peelers took my license. Anyway, went to pay my $100.00 but the officer wasn't there. Right as the judge was about to dismiss my ticket the bird who hit me walked up. Her presence was enough to make me have to pay, so even if the policeman doesn't show in court, you might still have to pay the fine.

Kar98

If you take the course, the ticket never existed.

SultanOfSwing

Strictly speaking, that's true, but a couple of years back we were trying to renew our car insurance and somehow the insurance company used one or other of my tickets (neither of which show on my driving record) to bump up our premium.

We kicked up a big stink and they wised up but that seriously pissed me off. What was the point in paying the extra money to keep them off my driving record if they can just call it up

Poppy girl

1. I blew a red light but no accident and yes I did declare on my application and verbally told the IO at the interview.

2. If its a traffic red light its probably on camera so your screwed.

3. Make sure you can do the home study traffic school it only applies for certain ticket situations if there was an accident as well you might be out of luck, it does not go soley on a 1st offence in some states!!

Good Luck.

Kar98

In my case (and a few months later, the wife's), it was some mild speeding, and we both did the "do it at home, online" thing. Still took six hours.
In this state, Texas, you can get a ticket dismissed that way once every 12 months.

Poppy girl

I have done both the traffic school to peronally attend and the online one its not easy at all they try and make out it is but Puff I don't think so!..as I think you will agree!

Personally I would go to school for a day much better.

Kar98

Well, the difficult part was realizing that you actually do have to pay attention to it, rather than just letting the videos and crap run in the background while doing other stuff on the 'net.

SultanOfSwing

That's sort of how mine went. Four bloody hours of the most painfully obvious crap ever spouted. I had an msn window up and was chatting to my mate back home for most of it since I'd have answered the questions way to quickly for the refresh rate that was set!

Ginblossom

FYI : Im in Houston, TX.

Well a retired cop buddy said to me highly likely the cop wont show up. But then if he does, blah blah blah. I suppose this way I can just pay the thing and be done with it after the online thing.

Im more bothered with the N400 when it comes to it. If it didnt go to my record, it didnt happen right ?

Same ways with the insurance thing. Failure to provide just cos you dont have the card with ya.

I mean a minor traffic violation cant **** up a citizenship thing surely.

SultanOfSwing

A minor traffic violation absolutely will not mess up your citizenship. As I said, I had two, and no bothers.

Even though neither went on my record, I still listed them just to be on the safe side. Since they occurred 4 years before my N-400 was done, I just went to the courthouse and had them print off the records showing the citation number and outcome and that was that.

I'd lean towards the pay the thing and be done with it myself. Going to court is a pain in the arse, I only did it that one time because I had to.

Poppy girl

It won't F..K up the Citizenship at all stop worrying about that, just cover your ass and declare it on the N400 its not going to stop you being approved.

As for the cop you know all well and good but if its on camera as I said before its irrelevant if the cop turns up or not you're busted simple....hope not

Kar98

Let me break it down how it was for me, also in Texas:

Got pulled over, doing 89 in a 65. He got me fair and square.
I was handed a slip to sign that was "no admission of guilt" and a sheet I was to send in, where I could pick my options. Basically, not guilty, guilty here's my check, and let's take this court!
I sent it back, requesting taking it to court.
At court, some assistant clerk called me into a side chamber of the court room, and spoke, you just requested trial to get the ticket dismissed, right?
Yup.
OK, you got "time period" to do a defensive driving class, do this, and pay this fee, and it never existed.
Then I picked an approved, online defensive driving class, paid them, and that fee, sent that in, and was done with it.
Doesn't show up on driving record, criminal record, or insurance.

Ginblossom

Cool thanks folks. No cameras by the way Poppy.

Think Ill write the check plead guilty and be done.

Its bs, I didnt cut the f ing light anyway.

What happened was two tires of mine blew up at the same time, I went through a green light, did the u turn, but as I couldnt accelerate ..the car on the other side when he went thru hit me and shoved me forward. The drivers buddy travelling behind him called the cops. The cop said to me he has a witness gotta write you a ticket. yeh, real impartial witness.

Is what it is I guess. No point wasting time down at the court house.

Thanks everyone for the answers

SultanOfSwing

That could be a right pain in the arse to contest if the only witness was the other driver's mate. I think in this case, unless you had a reliable witness to corroborate your side of things, your making the right decision to just pay it, take the class and move on.

Two blown tyres in one go though - that's serious bad luck