Aside from fines, some traffic tickets can also really serve to complicate your life. If you fail to pay fines associated with a drunk driving or other serious charge, you can end up facing jail time. For lesser moving and non-moving violations, you won’t be arrested and thrown in jail, but you can receive subsequent fines or have your driver’s license suspended or revoked. Your vehicle can also be impounded for unpaid tickets, and you may notice that your insurance premiums increase.
With that said, Minnesota lawmakers are currently trying to make some changes to the potential penalties associated with unpaid tickets. Levying additional fines, license restrictions and even jail time on offenders who are unable to pay disproportionately affects poorer individuals. Current legislation with bipartisan support would eliminate driver’s license suspensions for a wide range of minor offenses, including:
- Failing to appear in court for a citation;
- Petty misdemeanors;
- Parking and traffic violations;
- Not paying fines or surcharges for parking or traffic violations.
The bill would also prohibit license suspensions in instances where the person has been found driving after a previous suspension. We’ll keep our eyes on HF 336 as lawmakers consider making these changes and provide an update when we know more.