Traffic Violation vs. Traffic Crime

Traffic Citations

Directly under the title "Oregon Uniform Traffic Citation and Complaint" is a series of boxes. The officer will have marked either Criminal or Infraction.

Traffic Crime

A traffic crime is a misdemeanor offense where you could serve jail time. Examples of those offenses include:

• Driving Under the Influence
• Hit and Run
• Reckless Driving

Note: The arraignment date written on the bottom of the citation is a mandatory appearance.

Traffic Violation

A traffic violation is an offense where the penalty is a fine. Examples of those offenses include:

• Driving Uninsured
• Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device
• Speeding