Should I contest traffic violations in Kentucky?
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Should I contest traffic violations in Kentucky?

| Mar 18, 2020 | Traffic Violations

If you are driving through Kentucky and a police officer pulls you over to give you a ticket, you may feel content to just pay off the fine and move on. However, the problem with traffic convictions is that they can accumulate, plus they place traffic points on your driving record. Not contesting traffic violations can lead to a license suspension, steep fines, and possibly insurance hikes. 

As explained by the Kentucky state government, a driver that crosses a certain threshold of points risks losing his or her driving privileges. Even an infraction like failing to yield, which can place three points on your record, may push you closer to a driver license suspension. 

Suspension of driving privileges 

A driver who is 18 years old or older who accumulates 12 or more points from traffic violations will face a hearing to determine the fitness of the driver to continue driving. The hearing may result in probation, but if not, the driver could face a suspension. Drivers who are younger than 18 may also face a hearing if they have 7 or more points. 

Serious violations 

Additionally, some traffic violations are serious enough to warrant a hearing upon conviction. If a driver tries to elude a police officer on the road, speeds 26 miles over the speed limit on any Kentucky highway or other road, or races with another driver, the state will require the driver to attend a hearing. A failure to appear at a hearing could result in an automatic driving suspension for six months or longer. 


Traffic violations, like other criminal convictions, remain on your record, though not for an indefinite amount of time. Points you gather under the point system will only remain on your record for two years after conviction, but convictions remain part of your record for five years. So even after the state removes your points, a traffic conviction may still cause you problems for a while longer, such as if your insurer accesses your driving record and discovers your past convictions, possibly resulting in a rate hike.