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    Question Dismissing Traffic Citations Through Traffic School

    I always thought one could have a traffic citation in California dismissed once per 18 months through traffic school. But after reading http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d17/vc41501.htm it appears as if one can get two dismissals in less than an 18 month period. Does anyone know more about this?

    If the offense is alleged to have been committed within 12 months of another offense that was dismissed under this section, the court may order the continuance and, after the attendance, dismiss the complaint. The court may order attendance at a licensed school for traffic violators that offers a program of at least 12 hours of instruction.

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    Default Re: Dismissing Traffic Citations Through Traffic School

    Quote Quoting Lizard
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    I always thought one could have a traffic citation in California dismissed once per 18 months through traffic school. But after reading http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d17/vc41501.htm it appears as if one can get two dismissals in less than an 18 month period. Does anyone know more about this?

    If the offense is alleged to have been committed within 12 months of another offense that was dismissed under this section, the court may order the continuance and, after the attendance, dismiss the complaint. The court may order attendance at a licensed school for traffic violators that offers a program of at least 12 hours of instruction.
    Confidential Records: Traffic Violator School Attendance
    1808.7.
    The record of the department relating to the first proceeding and dismissal under Section 1803.5 in any 18-month period for participation by a person in a licensed school for traffic violators, a licensed driving school, or any other court-approved program of driving instruction, is confidential, shall not be disclosed to any person, except a court, and shall be used only for statistical purposes by the department.
    Amended Ch. 1465, Stats. 1989. Effective January 1, 1990.
    Amended Ch. 93, Stats. 1990. Effective May 16, 1990.


    Pursuant to CVC 1808.7, ONLY the FIRST dismissal of an offense in an 18 month period is confidential. Subsequent dismissals, are NOT confidential - meaning they will be reported to the DMV, and will then appear on your driving record as a zero point violation. So your insurance carrier can still access that information and will, more likely than not, consider a premium increase as a result.

    All that, is assuming that your particular court does in fact allow/offer the 12 hour program. Some courts and particularly, some judges do not offer that option. (Note VC 41501 states "the court may order the continuance and, after the attendance, dismiss the complaint. The court may order attendance at a licensed school for traffic violators that offers a program of at least 12 hours of instruction".).

    "May" means just that... "may". Whereas "shall" means "MUST".

    The only advantage to the 12 hour -level 2- second violator traffic school is if you are close to a administrative DMV license suspension -because of violation points-, that program will eliminate the point associated with the violation and may allow you to avoid such a suspension. Otherwise, there is no real benefit to going that route; at least not as far as I can see.

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