Vehicle Code section 41501 authorizes the court to give you “traffic school”. You can attend the traffic school class by either going “in-person”, “home study” or “via the internet”.
If you have not gone to a traffic school program within the past 18 months, you can attend an 8-hour traffic school. Your ticket will be dismissed. This dismissal is confidential. There will be NO point on your DMV record. Your automobile insurance company will not be able to raise your insurance rates based on that ticket.
If you have gone to a traffic school program within the past 18 months and your ticket was issued before July 1, 2011, the court can still authorize a 12-hour [second offender] traffic school. The importance of this 12-hour program is that there will be NO “point” for that ticket on your DMV record. But, on the other hand, the fact that you have gone to a 12-hour traffic school would be part of your “public” DMV record and your insurance company could become aware of it.
NOTE: The court cannot refuse to give you “traffic school” solely for the reason that you have exercised your right to go to trial. Some judges erroneously tell people that, if the person exercises his/her right to a trial, the court will not let them go to traffic school. This is contrary to law. If that happens, please let me know.
