After a traffic violation, hiring an attorney who focuses on traffic cases can help you to get your charge reduced. His or her ability to do so depends largely on the evidence against you, and it's possible that the evidence is simply too strong to avoid a reduction or dismissal of your charge. This can mean that you're looking at a guilty plea or verdict, resulting in a fine. Some traffic fines can be hefty, but you may have the option of agreeing to a payment plan. Here are some pros and cons that you can discuss with your traffic law attorney before you decide how to proceed.
Pro: Lack Of Immediate Financial Stress
Having to pay a large fine in one installment can lead to significant financial stress for a lot of people. A fine of $5,000, for example, can be extremely difficult to pay. A lot of people don't have access to this amount of money and may need to take a loan or borrow from family or friends in order to pay the fine. All of this can create stress, whereas agreeing to a payment plan and paying your fine in several installments makes things easier.
Con: You'll Pay A Bit More
When you pay a traffic fine in installments over a series of months, you'll have to pay interest. The interest rate depends on several factors, but you can count on having to pay something to offset the convenience of paying in installments. This means that by the time you've finished paying the traffic fine, you'll have paid a bit more than if you'd simply paid everything at once.
Pro: It May Be An Effective Deterrent
When you're guilty of a traffic violation, and you have to pay a fine, you obviously don't want to find yourself in a similar situation in the future. When you pay in installments, you're constantly aware of the fine. This may actually be an effective deterrent. Each month that you have to pay one installment, you're reminded of the frustrations of doing so and thus remain vigilant about making smarter decisions behind the wheel.
Con: It Hangs Over Your Head Longer
There's something to be said about paying your traffic fine in one shot. While doing so can be stressful, you're able to then put it out of your mind. When you're making payments toward the fine for several months, you might feel frustrated with continuously having to think about the fine and the poor driving decision that you made.
