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About Moving Violations

A moving violation is any violation of the law committed by a vehicle’s driver while in motion. The term “motion” distinguishes it from parking violations. While parking violations are charged against a car (which will be towed if violations go unpaid or are frequent), moving violations are set against the person driving.

Moving violations are usually classified as infractions or misdemeanors, but serious violations can be considered felonies. In most places, moving violations involve fines that must be paid, as well as punitive points assessed to the driver’s license. As a driver accumulates points, he or she may be required to attend defensive driving lessons, retake his or her driving test, or even surrender his or her license. While the original intention of the fines was punitive, sometimes tickets are used for fundraising. For example, a local government with a budget shortfall may ticket more aggressively within its jurisdiction to increase revenue.

In the United States, citation fines are nominal, usually between $25 and $1000. In some countries, however, they are specific proportions of
the violator’s income and penalties over $100,000 can be assessed to wealthy individuals. Common moving violations include:
speeding (by far the most common breach)
not wearing a seat belt
running a stop sign or red traffic light
failing to yield to someone with the right of way
failing to maintain a single lane
not stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk
crossing the gore (striped area)
failure to secure a load to a truck lorry
driving in a carpool lane illegally
going too slow for road conditions, particularly in a left-hand lane
littering.

More serious violations include racing on a public street, road rage, drunk driving, and vehicular homicide.