The answer to the question “What can I do about a photo-enforced red-light ticket in Bakersfield?” is often as simple as consulting a Bakersfield traffic ticket attorney from Bigger & Harman.
What Can I Do About a Photo-Enforced Red-Light Ticket in Bakersfield?
Bakersfield has several intersections equipped with red-light cameras. These cameras snap photos and record videos of vehicles that run red lights.
Here are some locations where you might get a ticket:
Wible Road and White Lane
Real Road and Ming Avenue
Coffee Road and Truxton Avenue
Chester Avenue and Brundage Lane
Stockdale Highway and California Avenue
Oswell Street and Bernard Street
Old River Road and Ming Avenue
Oak Street and California Avenue
Valley Plaza and Ming Avenue
Stockdale Highway and Coffee Road
If you got a ticket at one of these intersections, you might feel confused about the next steps.
Many drivers don’t realize that court clerks can’t give legal advice, and incorrect guidance could cost you. Always consult a traffic attorney before deciding to dispute it in court or accepting Traffic Violator School (TVS).
Challenging a Red-Light Camera Ticket
What can I do about a photo-enforced red-light ticket in Bakersfield? First, know that every ticket situation is different. Common red-light violations include:
Not coming to a full stop before turning right on red.
Driving through a solid or flashing red light.
Failing to stop at a broken traffic signal.
Not yielding to pedestrians while turning.
Entering the intersection after the light turned from yellow to red. This is the most common.
Typically, the time between the yellow light and red depends on the speed limit along that roadway. Say it is 50 mph, the yellow will stay on for 5 seconds. If it’s 35 mph, then you can expect 3.5 seconds.
However, if you want to check, the Caltrans CA MUTCD is the authority.
The burden of proof falls on the State. If the camera image is unclear, your case could be dismissed. Before making any decisions, talk to a traffic attorney.
If you appear in court and the judge or officer asks you who was driving, you cannot be compelled to name your spouse, but things can get pretty awkward.
Fines and Insurance Increases
A red-light camera ticket in California can be costly.
Fines can reach nearly $500, and that’s just the start. If you’re not eligible for traffic violator school (TVS), your insurance rates could jump 32% for three years.
How a Red Light Ticket Conviction Affects You Insurance Premium
The DMV will assess one negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) point with a paid fine or conviction.
Unless you are eligible to attend Traffic Violator School to keep your guilty plea confidential, your insurance company will likely take your good driver discount of 20% and add around 10-12% risk assessment based on the current rate for running a red light.
This will add around $815 annually for three years to the average California driver’s full coverage insurance premium based on Bankrate’s research. Therefore, your total expense could be $490 for the fine, plus $2445 for the insurance premium increase, or $2935.
Bankrate.com reports:
“Full coverage car insurance costs an average of $2,935 per year in California. The average cost for state minimum coverage is $844 per year. Nationally, full coverage costs $2,678, and minimum coverage costs $799 on average per year, so California is an expensive place to buy insurance.”
Don’t surrender nearly $3,000 from your family budget without a fight. Consult a Bakersfield traffic ticket attorney today.
You might not qualify for TVS if:
You don’t have a valid California driver’s license.
You’ve used TVS attendance to mask another ticket in the past 18 months.
Your violation requires a mandatory court appearance.
You were speeding over 100 mph.
You were driving a commercial vehicle.
Even if you qualify, missing the TVS deadline means paying the fine and still having the violation on your record. Consulting an attorney could help you avoid costly mistakes.
How Red-Light Camera Evidence Works
Red-light cameras capture both video and still images of violations.
An experienced traffic patrol officer must review the footage before issuing a citation to the vehicle owner. But what if the footage is unclear? If the driver’s identity isn’t visible, you might have a solid defense.
Also, intersections with red-light cameras must have clear warning signs. The yellow-to-red light timing must meet Caltrans regulations.
If there’s an issue with signage or timing, an attorney could use that to challenge your ticket and ask for a dismissal. Even when a dismissal is not warranted, a traffic attorney could negotiate a no-point conviction with a fine only.
When no NOTS points are assessed, no record is kept on your motor vehicle driving record; therefore, there’s no insurance premium increase.
Ask Bigger & Harman About Disputing a Photo-Enforced Red-Light Ticket in Bakersfield, CA
If you need to determine “What can I do about a photo-enforced red-light ticket in Bakersfield,” call Bigger & Harman, APC, at (661) 349-9300—se habla Español 349-9755.
We can resolve your ticket in Bakersfield Courthouse in Kern County, CA, without your presence. If the photo is blurry, this could prevent you from answering the judge when they ask who was driving.
It is the State’s burden of proof. Therefore, it is not up to you to prove their case against you or a family member.
Use our handy online contact form or email us at attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
References:
The Caltrans CA MUTCD.
The CA Driver Handbook English y Español.
The Bankrate.com article, Average cost of car insurance in CA for 2025.