North Carolina has strict traffic laws. Depending on the severity of your offense, the state requires you to attend court. However, according to the North Carolina Judicial Branch, you can waive your traffic violation in certain circumstances.
This is not always the best option. Waiving a traffic violation does not expunge the offense from your record. It means that you plead guilty or responsible for the crime. Whatever adverse effects your license or car insurance might suffer become applied immediately.
Convenience over money
The simple reason to waive your traffic violation is to save time and effort. Even if you believe you are innocent, sometimes people do not want to deal with the hassle of court. However, the time you spend going to court might save you a significant amount of money, inconvenience and stress in the future.
Guaranteed consequences
Waiving a traffic violation guarantees you will suffer the penalties associated with your crime. One of the crimes you may waive is possessing an open container of alcohol. First-time convictions carry a potential license suspension. You will lose your license for six months if you receive a second open container charge. You must weigh your options carefully before deciding to take the easy way out and waive the violation.
In some instances, waiving a traffic violation might be the best decision. However, you should strongly consider going to court if there is any chance of dropping a charge. You do not want to lose your license or pay increased insurance premiums just for the sake of convenience.