A moving violation is any violation of the law committed by the driver of a vehicle while it is in motion. The term "motion" distinguishes it from other violations such as parking violations, equipment violations, or paperwork violations relating to insurance, registration, inspection, etc.
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In theory, moving violations are more likely to directly cause physical harm to persons and property. The other forms of violations include:
While some violations, like parking violations, are civil matters involving a vehicle's owner, moving violations are charged against the actual driver.
Moving violations are usually classified as infractions or misdemeanors, but serious violations such as hit and run, driving under the influence, and road rage can be considered felonies.
The most commonly enforced moving violation, and the overwhelmingly most frequent reason for a vehicle pullover (regardless of type of citation issued, if any), are violations of the speed limit. Measurements of motorist speed throughout time have found many roadways where compliance with speed laws is very low, making many motorists liable to be pulled over at the discretion of law enforcement.
Moving violations involve fines which must be paid as well and sometimes punitive points assessed to the license of the driver. As a driver accumulates points, he or she may be required to attend defensive driving lessons, re-take his or her driving test, pay additional taxes, or even surrender his or her license. Additionally, drivers with more points on their driving record often must pay more for car insurance than drivers with fewer.
Sometimes tickets are used in a speed trap as a form of fundraising. For example, a local government that is suffering a budget shortfall may ticket more aggressively within its jurisdiction to increase revenue.[1][2][3]
In the United States, citation fines can vary widely between jurisdictions for the same behaviour, usually between $25 and $1000. In countries such as Finland, however, they are specific proportions of the violator's income, and fines in excess of $100,000 can be assessed to wealthy individuals. In Canada, each province is individual in how they treat similar behaviour and each violation usually includes a set fine and demerit points against the driver's license. For example, a speeding ticket in Ontario of 50+ km over is 6 demerit points against the driver's licence with the approximate fine calculated as (km over x 9.75) x 1.25, as well it carries a one week automatic licence suspension and car impoundment. In Manitoba speeding in excess of 49 km is 8 demerit points and a fine of 557 dollars.
More serious moving violations include:
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