Is a traffic ticket a misdemeanor?
While traffic tickets are fairly common, you may wonder if the courts will consider your ticket a misdemeanor or a more serious case, a felony. Most tickets are misdemeanors, or mild offenses.The FactsGenerally, traffic tickets are considered misdemeanors in most states, according to Findlaw.com. Most traffic offenses, such as running a stop sign, are not viewed as serious crimes.ConsiderationsTraffic offenses can become felonies when the violation turns into something more serious. For example, running a red light could cause a fatal crash, according to Findlaw.com.TypesWhile people usually lump anything less than a felony into the category of misdemeanor, civil infractions are less serious offenses than misdemeanor, according to Expertlaw.com. Littering and jaywalking are examples of civil infractions.EffectsTraffic misdemeanors usually result in fines. They also can lead to jail time or a suspended or revoked driver’s license, Expertlaw.com says. Civil infractions almost always incu
