If you have driven through Hannibal, Missouri recently, you know they have several red light cameras positioned throughout the town.
The yellow light is adjusted so that drivers have a very short time to get through the intersection before the light turns red.
If the camera flashes as you pass through the intersection, you may later receive a ticket in the mail. On the ticket, the charge will be worded as “fail to obey traffic control device – must appear,” which is a 2-point moving violation.
An Attorney Can Get Your Hannibal Red Light Camera Ticket Reduced To A Non-Moving, No-Point Infraction
You can hire an attorney to get your Hannibal red light camera ticket reduced from a 2-point moving violation to a non-moving, no-point infraction. This is also known as getting a ticket “amended.”
If you get your ticket reduced, that means you won’t have any points added to your driving record, and your car insurance company will never know that you received the ticket (so they won’t have an excuse to increase your rates).
No Mandatory Court Appearance For Hannibal Red Light Camera Ticket If You Hire An Attorney
When you get a ticket from the Hannibal Police for running a red light camera, the wording on the ticket is “Failure to Obey Traffic Control Signal – Must Appear” or “Run Red Light – Must Appear.”
You will not have to appear in court if you hire an attorney to represent you for your red light camera ticket.
Commercial Truck Drivers With A CDL Can Get Their Hannibal Red Light Camera Ticket Reduced
CDL truck drivers often get caught by the Hannibal red light cameras. They are hauling heavy loads that prevent them from safely stopping within the amount of time allowed by the traffic camera. According to the red light camera law, a vehicle is in violation if it is in the intersection when the traffic light turns red.
An experienced traffic law attorney can get a commercial truck driver’s red light camera ticket amended to a non-moving, no-point infraction, and the driver will not have to appear in court.
What To Do If Your Employer Paid The Fine For You Without Your Knowledge
Hannibal red light camera tickets are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. If you are employed as a truck driver and you are not the owner of the truck, the ticket will be mailed to your boss. It is very common for a commercial truck driver’s employer to pay the fine without telling the driver. If they do that, it’s as if you pleaded guilty, and points will be added to your driving record.
This can be reversed if you catch it quickly. Consult an experienced traffic law attorney if your boss has paid the fine for your Hannibal red light camera ticket. Your attorney can withdraw your guilty plea and get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation. Then the points will be removed from your driving record.
What To Do If You Want To Plead Guilty As Charged
If you prefer to plead guilty as charged to the original offense, you can call the Hannibal court clerk and ask if they will let you pay the fine over the phone, without appearing in court.
Pleading guilty will cause 2 points to be added to your driving record. In addition, your car insurance rates may increase.
Locations Of Red Light Cameras In Hannibal, Missouri
See my previous blog post listing locations of Hannibal red light cameras.
Red light cameras have been in operation in Hannibal, Missouri since 2007 and they plan to keep using them.
For more information about Hannibal’s red light cameras, go to the “Red Light Cameras Frequently Asked Questions” page on the Hannibal Police Department website.
How Many Points Is A Hannibal Red Light Camera Ticket?
If you plead guilty (or if your boss pays the fine for you and pleads guilty on your behalf) to a Hannibal red light camera ticket, 2 points will be added to your driving record.
For CDL truck drivers, safety points (CSA points) may be added to your driving record if you plead guilty to a red light camera ticket. You can talk to your safety manager, or contact the Department of Motor Vehicles in your home state to ask how it will affect your CDL if you plead guilty to a red light camera ticket
How Many Points Can You Get Before You Lose Your Missouri Driver’s License?
In Missouri, your license will be suspended or revoked if you accumulate too many points on your driving record within a certain amount of time.
- If you accumulate 8 points within 18 months, your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days (if it’s your first suspension)
- If you accumulate 12 points within 12 months, your license will be revoked for 1 year
For more information, see the Missouri Department of Revenue website’s “Frequently Asked Questions About Missouri Tickets and Points” to learn about points, suspension of driver’s license, and reinstatement of your driver’s license. Or you can call the Missouri Department of Revenue at (573) 751-4475.
How Much Is The Fine For A Red Light Camera Ticket in Hannibal, Missouri?
The fine is $130 if you plead guilty to a red light camera ticket in Hannibal, Missouri. In addition to the fine, 2 points will be added to your driving record.
If you are an out-of-state driver, Missouri will report your guilty plea to your home state. Then the Department of Motor Vehicles in your home state will “interpret” the ticket and assess points (if your home state has a point system) and add the conviction to your driving record.
If you hire an attorney to get your red light camera ticket reduced to a non-moving violation, you will have to pay a fine and court costs. No points will be added to your driving record, and your insurance company will never know that you got the ticket.
After your attorney gets your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction, your fine will be slightly higher than the amount you would have paid if you had chosen to plead guilty as charged.
The amount of your fine depends on: 1) your driving history, and 2) whether you have a regular driver’s license or a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
Your attorney can give you an estimate of the fine and court costs that you will have to pay.
What To Do If You Get A Red Light Camera Ticket In The Mail But You Were Not The Driver
Red light camera tickets are mailed to the owner of the vehicle that was caught on camera running the red light.
You can report the driver to the Hannibal Police, and they will issue a new ticket to the person who was driving your vehicle.
Here’s what to do if you get a red light camera ticket in the mail but you were not the driver:
- Fill out the “Nomination Affidavit” attached to your Hannibal red light camera ticket and write in the name and address of the person who was driving your vehicle
- Fax the “Nomination Affidavit” to the Hannibal Police Department
- The Hannibal Police will re-issue a new ticket and mail it to the person who was driving your car when they ran the red light
- Or, you can call the Hannibal Police Department at (573) 221-0987 ext. 354 and ask them to re-issue a new ticket in the name of the person who was driving your vehicle
How To Find Out If A Traffic Ticket Will Make Your Insurance Rates Go Up
If you are undecided about whether to spend the money to hire a traffic ticket lawyer, you can call your insurance agent and ask if your rates will increase if you plead guilty to the ticket. Your insurance agent can tell you how much your car insurance rates will increase, and for how long.
Some drivers have car insurance that offers “ticket forgiveness” if you haven’t had a ticket for several years.
Read this article from insurance.com to see how traffic violations affect your car insurance rates.
Price Quote To Get Hannibal Red Light Camera Ticket Fixed
Most traffic ticket lawyers offer a free consultation, and they can give you a flat-fee price quote for legal representation. They can also give you an estimate of how much the fine and court costs will be.
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For a free consultation and price quote for your Hannibal red light camera ticket, contact Missouri traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or via email at [email protected]
Photo by Sébastien Barbieri on Unsplash.