If you are visiting Kansas City on a vacation or as part of a business trip, what should you do if you receive a speeding ticket or another type of traffic ticket? Certainly, nobody wants to receive a speeding ticket or a citation for running a red light or a stop sign when they are driving a rental car or visiting another city. Yet visitors to the Kansas City area are frequently issued speeding and red light tickets, along with other types of traffic citations. If you did receive a traffic ticket while you were in Kansas City for a short time, there are a variety of things you need to keep in mind in order to fight the ticket and avoid getting points on your driver’s license.
You Could Be Facing Criminal Penalties
Some traffic offenses, including speeding at certain speeds beyond the posted speed limit or DUIs, for example, can result in a criminal conviction if you do not fight the ticket. Regardless of whether you live near Kansas City or in a state thousands of miles away, that criminal conviction will be on your record. You need to fight the traffic ticket with help from a lawyer.
An Out-of-State Ticket Will Still Result in Points on Your Driver’s License
If you are thinking it is in your best interest to just pay the ticket and forget about it since the offense occurred in another state, you should think again. Any ticket that results in points on your driver’s license in one state—even if you live in another state—will follow you. Any points from a traffic offense in one area of the U.S. will be present on your license throughout the country.
You Cannot Avoid Paying the Ticket if You Live in Another State
As we clarified above, you cannot avoid paying a ticket in Kansas City because you live somewhere else. If you never pay the ticket and do not appear in court, a warrant could be issued for your arrest, and you could face consequences even if you live in a state far away.
You Should Save All Documentation Related to the Traffic Ticket
To fight your ticket, make sure to save all of your information. Your Kansas City traffic defense lawyer will need it to help you beat the ticket.
You May Not Need to Return to Kansas City to Fight the Ticket
Depending upon the facts of your case, you may not need to return to Kansas City to fight the traffic ticket. Instead, a lawyer at our firm may be able to handle the ticket while you remain at home. However, we will need to assess the facts of your case to be certain.
Contact a Kansas City Traffic Ticket Lawyer
If you received a traffic ticket while visiting Kansas City, you do have options to fight the ticket. Whether it was a more minor offense or a more serious offense that could result in a criminal record, it is most often in your best interest to fight the traffic ticket with assistance from a Kansas City traffic ticket defense lawyer. To learn more about your options, you should get in touch with an advocate at our firm as soon as possible. Contact Aimee the Attorney to learn more about how we can assist you with your out-of-state traffic ticket.
