Can You Get a Speeding Ticket Reduced So You Can Use Traffic School

[FoamRoller]

My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: California.

I recently got a speeding ticket driving 51 mph in a school zone for 25 mph. The street itself is actually 35mph with a sign that says 25mph when children are present. I received the ticket on Tuesday at 11:30AM, where there was absolutely no children present. I also have a note from the school official saying class is indeed in session at that given time.

My question is, since I am at 26mph over and the traffic school cutoff is 25, can I fight it to get it reduced and attend traffic school? I don't care about paying the ticket, I just don't want it on my record.

[CourtClerk]

You can ask (nicely), but in my experience, when you're driving like a mad man in a school zone and thus potentially endangering children, that's something judges WANT to see you have on your record because it's a lesson you'll learn for quite a while. Your explanation that "I just don't want it on my record" really isn't going to make a judge have the warm fuzzies about you.

Now, you could have been nice and asked the officer to write the ticket 2 miles under and a lot of times, they will - but as you can see, people aren't enthused when you're speeding in school zones.

[adjusterjack]

Children don't have to be visible.

When the sign is up you slow down. Period.

[CourtClerk]

I also have a note from the school official saying class is indeed in session at that given time.

That's hilarious. If class was in session, that means kids were in fact present. Your note is going to work AGAINST you. The children need only be in the school, not walking around the sidewalk for them to be present.

[FoamRoller]

That's hilarious. If class was in session, that means kids were in fact present. Your note is going to work AGAINST you. The children need only be in the school, not walking around the sidewalk for them to be present.

Thanks for your response. I have a few questions.

As I searched, I thought 22352 VC said it only applied if children are going to or leaving school?

Also, if the note will work against me, do you have any advice on how I can ask nicely? I just can't have this on my record as I have just been accepted into Navy Officer Candidates School. If I have this on my record, I will not be able to ship. This is my first offense if it helps at all.

[CourtClerk]

You may want to bring something in on military letterhead explaining the situation IF the situation is TRULY that you will not be able to ship. I've never heard of the military rejecting you simply because you have one point on your driving record. I've seen much worse come through the courtroom and people still ship off, so I would start by stopping being so dramatic.

I'll say it again. There are reasons why people are not as lenient on certain violations. It's because for some reason, as I used to tell the people I was training, the only way to REALLY get the lesson to stick is to hit them in their pocket. No other lesson seems to work as well. Once the money leaves their checking account, they're over it in a few days or by next pay period. Let that insurance rate got up for a few years and they seem to remember it very well... all the time. You stop seeing repeat offenders.

[donzoh1]

That's hilarious. If class was in session, that means kids were in fact present. Your note is going to work AGAINST you. The children need only be in the school, not walking around the sidewalk for them to be present.

Maybe you'd like to look up CVC 22352 before you make pronouncements like this which contradict the law.