Florida Traffic Ticket Lawyer: Speeding, Careless Driving and Other Citations

By Daniel D. Nawara, Sarasota criminal and DUI defense attorney. Last updated October 5, 2026.

A traffic ticket looks minor, and most people just pay it. In Florida, paying a ticket is an admission. It usually puts points on your license, stays on your driving record, and can raise your insurance for years. Before you pay, it is worth knowing your options.

Nawara Law handles traffic citations in Sarasota, Manatee and the surrounding counties, from ordinary speeding tickets to criminal traffic charges.

Tickets we handle

• Speeding, including school zone and construction zone speeding

• Careless driving, often written after a crash

• Running a stop sign or red light

• Failure to yield and improper lane change

• Following too closely

• Passing a stopped school bus

• Texting while driving and hands-free zone violations

• Move over law violations

• No proof of insurance, expired tag or registration

• Tickets issued to commercial (CDL) drivers

You have 30 days and three choices

For a civil traffic infraction you generally have 30 days from the date of the citation to choose one of three things. If you do nothing, your license can be suspended.

1. Pay the ticket. This is an admission. Points are added for a moving violation and the conviction goes on your record.

2. Elect driving school. If you are eligible, you pay the ticket, complete a basic driver improvement course, and no points are assessed. You can only do this once in any 12-month period and a limited number of times in your life. Commercial license holders generally cannot use it.

3. Contest the ticket in court. You ask for a hearing. The officer has to appear and the State has to prove the infraction. A lawyer can handle this for you.

How points work in Florida

Points are set by section 322.27, Florida Statutes. Common examples:

• Speeding 15 mph or less over the limit: 3 points

• Speeding more than 15 mph over the limit: 4 points

• Running a red light: 4 points

• Careless driving, running a stop sign, and most other moving violations: 3 points

• Passing a stopped school bus: 4 points

• Reckless driving: 4 points

• Speeding that results in a crash: 6 points

• Leaving the scene of a crash with more than $50 in property damage: 6 points

Too many points means a suspension:

• 12 points in 12 months: up to 30 days

• 18 points in 18 months: up to 3 months

• 24 points in 36 months: up to 1 year

When you have to go to court

Some citations cannot simply be paid. Florida law requires a court hearing for certain infractions, including speeding 30 mph or more over the limit and any infraction that results in a crash causing death or serious bodily injury. Check your citation. If a court appearance is marked as required, do not ignore it.

When a traffic stop becomes a criminal charge

Some traffic offenses are crimes, with possible jail time and a criminal record. These are not tickets you pay online:

• Driving while license suspended and no valid driver license

• Reckless driving

• Leaving the scene of a crash

• Racing on a highway and street takeovers

• Dangerous excessive speeding under the super speeder law

• Fleeing and eluding

• DUI

Too many convictions can also make you a habitual traffic offender, which carries a five-year license revocation.

How a lawyer can help with a ticket

• Going to court for you. In many civil traffic cases a lawyer can appear on your behalf so you do not have to miss work.

• Making the State prove it. The officer has to show up and the evidence has to hold up, including how your speed was measured and whether the device was tested and the officer trained.

• Protecting your record. In the right case the goal is a dismissal, a reduction to a non-moving violation, or a withhold of adjudication with no points. No outcome can be promised.

• Crash cases. A careless driving ticket after a crash can matter in an insurance claim or lawsuit. How it is resolved deserves thought.

• CDL and work drivers. If you drive for a living, a ticket can cost far more than the fine.

Frequently asked questions

Should I just pay the ticket?

Paying is the fastest way to end it, but it is an admission and usually means points. Look at your options before the 30 days run.

Will a ticket raise my insurance?

It can. Insurers look at your driving record, and points and convictions are part of it.

Can I take driving school?

Often, if you have not elected it in the past 12 months and have not used up your lifetime limit. It is not available for every citation or to commercial license holders.

Do I have to appear in court?

For most civil infractions a lawyer can appear for you. Mandatory hearing citations and criminal traffic charges are different. Ask when you call.

I got a ticket after a crash. Does it matter?

Yes. Careless driving is the most common citation after a crash, and how the ticket is handled can affect more than your license.

What if I missed the 30 days?

Your license may be suspended for failing to respond. Call right away. Driving on a suspended license is a separate offense.

Talk with a lawyer before you pay

Call or text (941) 920-5514, nights and weekends too, or request a free consultation with former prosecutor Daniel D. Nawara. Have your citation in front of you when you call. See fees for how the firm charges.

General information only, not legal advice. No outcome is guaranteed. Contacting the firm does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.