Can I Remove A California Traffic Ticket With Defensive Driving
Reader’s Question:
Hi I’m from California. Is it possible to remove a traffic ticket by taking a defensive driving course even if I have a CDL?
Alex
Bakersfield, CA
According to California Orange County, attending the driving course will not remove the ticket unless it is under the approval of a court clerk or judicial officer. Certain traffic school rules include the person does not have a commercial driver’s license and the offense did not happen under the operation of a commercial vehicle.
The Federal Government has a directive where commercial drivers (CDL holders), regardless of the type of the vehicle being driven, are not eligible to go to traffic school to remove the traffic violation from his/her record. Research shows that CDL holders can no longer remove or even mask the ticket by attending the driving course effective September 20, 2005.
For more information on the restrictions on taking driving course, you can contact California Vehicle Code (VC) 42005. You can also check Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations about information on CDL holder and traffic school. The site www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/olin/olin.htm shows a CA memo, which explains the changes that took place in 2005.