AAA bumped my premium on first traffic ticket?

Question

I got cited for illegal U-turn in June '06. The fine was $183. I went to court, pled guilty and paid a reduced fine of $150. This past Thanksgiving I got another ticket for speeding, which prompted me to check with AAA. They told me I would be charged for the u-turn ticket for 3 years. That means my premiums for '07, '08 and '09 will be up about $250 each. Ouch.
This past Thanksgiving Day I got a ticket for speeding, 400 miles from home. I called the court and through the automated system, I found out the fine would be $250. I suddenly realized, that I was ineligible for traffic school in the U-turn case in June 2006 because I had a commercial driver license for a school job. Since I graduated this past summer I haven't renewed my medical card, so technically I don't have a commercial license anymore. Should I request traffic school now? Is it going to be approved? Can I request AAA to waive the charge for my first offense in June 2006 now? Will my premium go up another $250 next time?

It seems to make sense to request traffic school for the speeding ticket. Will I be able to attend traffic school at home in San Diego, rather than Palo Alto where I visited?

To aichausa, good for you if posting this response satisfies your ego. You are not answering my question though. Do you think I want to go out, break the law and pay the stupid fines? I am not asking for a lesson, and I am trying to be more cautious. People who really need to be scolded don't post here. Amazing how every time people post something after they break the law, there will always be others trying to be a mentor.

Answer 1

Fine True Patriotic Company!

Answer 2

Of course you should ask for traffic school. As long as you were in the same state you can do traffic school near home. Even if you were 2000 miles away traffic school is based on just doing it wherever..... not where you committed the offense.

Is the $250 monthly, quarterly or yearly. If monthly you are getting ripped off. You need to call the company and take issue with this. For comparison sakes you should ask them what the increase would be if you had had a drunk driving.

One thing is did you have a CDL when you got insurance? Or if not it might still be in the system. If you are out of school do you need one now? Your rates could be still based on the fact that you had a CDL. If you drop the CDL you may be able to adjust the rates. Go to DMV and get paperwork, not just let it lapse as the insurance company is not going to just go on the fact that you let your medical lapse. The distance that you drive now can be a factor.

Call and ask what your rate would be based on a Uturn and one speeding if you were just signing up today. Of course start gettting quotes from other companies. You are not going to be uninsurable or face a huge jump with just these tickets. But you may be able to dumb down AAA if you spend enough phone time.

Another thing is to look at your deductable. Many people pay more so that if they get in an accident they only have to pay $250 or say $500. But those premiums once spent are gone forever even if you never get in an accident. But if you make your deductable high that money can be saved, invested or you can up your 401k contribution at work. So if in an accident you can pay then or find the money somehow.

Or if you are in a minor accident you can just pay cash for the damages. Which means that you don't have to report it to the insurance company and have your rates go up.

Answer 3

Stop breaking the law! Maybe you'll get something done and you won't need to worry about raised premiums and such.
If you test the authorities and you get off lucky the first 134 times, that 135th time could be your D-Day.

Also, you're giving Uncle Sam more than you should. Don't break the law and you won't have to give him a red cent. You can place it in your savings account instead.

Simple, eh?

Answer 4

You have nothing to lose by requesting traffic school, but I don't know whether you will be able to do that near your home for a San Diego ticket. It's probably worth a day in court to find out.

As for AAA, you can ask, they can refuse, you can shop for a new policy.

Answer 5

raichasa is right and succinct too.

you keep getting increasingly serious tickets, you at least had a commercial drivers license, and you don't understand that it will all affect your insurance?

there are limits on how often you can attend driving school (like once every so many years), so even if you get the first one erased, the later ones are going to stick on your insurance.

in any case, you may be able to do driving school locally, or even online. call a local driving school and ask them how it works.

Answer 6

you are discovering the awful truth -- traffic offenders pay at the insurance window.

man up