Alabama Traffic Violations

If you commit a traffic violation in the state of Alabama, you will receive a violation citation which will contain information on how to pay or challenge the traffic violation fine. Traffic violations in Alabama are handled by local traffic courts, and you will be able to obtain the contact information about the Alabama traffic court you must appear in front of or pay your fine to on the citation itself. It is important you note on the traffic ticket the "due date" for when you need to pay your fine or appear in court to challenge or plead guilty to your traffic violation.

Alabama Points System and Suspension of Driver Licenses

If you incur an Alabama traffic violation, the Alabama Department of Public Safety's Driver's License Division ("DLD") will place points on your Alabama driving record. Points for common traffic violations range from two points for making an improper turn, to six points for a charge of driving under the influence of alcoholic beverages in a manner that does not require immediate revocation of your Alabama driving privileges. Below is a schedule that Alabama's DLD follows for consideration of suspending your driver's license:

• 12-14 points within two years: 60 day suspension
• 15-17 points within two years: 90 day suspension
• 18-10 points within two years: 120 day suspension
• 21-13 points within two years: 180 day suspension
• +24 points within two years: 1 year suspension

Alabama is relatively lenient with regard to retaining points on your driver's license and will remove points from your Alabama driving record once the traffic violation is two years old. However, the traffic violation itself will likely remain on your Alabama driving record.

Alabama courts do not generally remove traffic violations or points from your driving record simply by attending traffic school. However, Alabama state law authorizes individual counties to determine their specific rules regarding traffic violations and how they impact your driving record. In addition, most Alabama courts will consider dismissing your traffic violation altogether if you enroll in a Alabama defensive driving program, or a traffic school.

Attending an Alabama Defensive Driving and/or Traffic School

Alabama courts in each county have jurisdiction over online traffic schools and online defensive driving schools. So, if you would like to participate in an online traffic school or an Alabama online defensive driving program, simply find out from the court in the Alabama County where you received the traffic violation to determine if the online traffic school you would like to enroll in will satisfy Alabama defensive driving program requirements. Alternatively, you can show up to court on your "due date" and request the court to allow you to enroll in an online traffic school course. One helpful resource to determine if Alabama courts are likely to accept your preferred online traffic school is to find out if the online defensive driving program follows National Safety Council guidelines, which Alabama courts commonly defer to. Our online traffic school course does follow all of the guidelines of the National Safety Council.

If an Alabama court approves your enrollment in an online traffic school or online defensive driving program, it is important that you retain the completion certificate or receipt from your online traffic school program and deliver it to the Alabama county court overseeing your traffic violation before a judge will consider dismissing your traffic violation.

The Benefits of a Clean Alabama Driving Record

It is important to maintain an Alabama driving record with no or as few traffic violations as possible for several reasons. First, you dramatically increase your chances to maintain lower car insurance payments by keeping your Alabama driving record clear. By avoiding traffic violations on your Alabama driving record, you help avoid the accompanying increase in your insurance premiums.

Alabama Mature Driver Insurance Discounts

A good Alabama driving record may even qualify you for an insurance discount. If you are an Alabama Mature Driver, a driver over the age of 55, you should contact your insurance provider to see if an Alabama online traffic school course or online defensive driving program can lower your insurance premium.

Alabama Juvenile Driver Insurance Discounts

Alabama Juvenile Drivers, or those under the age of 18, should also talk to their insurance carriers to see if an online Alabama driver improvement course can prevent costly increases in auto insurance, even prior to receiving a traffic violation.

In addition to high insurance costs, a clean Alabama driving record helps ensure your driver's license is not suspended or revoked. Besides these benefits and the obvious avoidance of paying costly citations, online traffic school helps you master defensive driving methods that will help you better avoid traffic accidents and citations in the future.

Alabama Classroom Traffic Schools

If you would like to enroll in a traffic school or defensive driving course in person rather than online, you should contact your local Alabama DLD office for information of state-wide supported traffic schools, or call your local Alabama Traffic Court to obtain a list of previously approved schools.