
Quoting
cdwjava
Well, I suppose in that they do not run the risk of jail time, do not trigger the appointment of counsel, and are not considered an "arrest" for employment and many other purposes, that's probably accurate.
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The DA is not required to prosecute traffic infractions. In fact, the Vehicle Code requires that these be submitted to the court alone, and NOT the DA, a city attorney, or any other individual or organization responsible for prosecution. And, that the notice to appear would serve as the complaint. So, the process is designed to entirely bypass the DA.
The argument you make above has been tried and failed.