Oklahoma Traffic Violations

Traffic violations are offenses committed while operating a motor vehicle. In Oklahoma, they may range from non-criminal traffic infractions, which are ticketed and paid through a court clerk, to misdemeanors and felonies for serious offenses. Learning how Oklahoma’s system works is key for every resident, as it has significant legal, financial, and civic implications.

Residents must know what counts as a violation, common offenses, penalties, and points. They should also learn how to search records, understand their retention period, and retrieve records from various sources.

What Is Considered a Traffic Violation in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma’s rules of the road and licensing duties are listed in Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes. When drivers or individuals fail to comply with these road and licensing duties, they commit traffic violations. It may occur as minor moving violations, which attract fines, or serious traffic crimes that are treated as felonies. In Oklahoma, traffic-related cases are handled by the District Courts.

Types of Traffic Violations in Oklahoma

Examples of traffic violations in Oklahoma include:

• Speeding: Drivers must not exceed set statutory and local speed limits on the highways, work zones, and school zones.
• Running a red light/stop sign: Drivers must obey all official traffic-control devices and signals.
• Driving without a license / while suspended: Any driver found operating a vehicle without proper privileges commits a traffic offense.
• Driving without insurance: It is a crime to drive a vehicle in Oklahoma without insurance.
• Reckless driving: It is a traffic offense for a driver to have willful or wanton disregard for the safety of road users in the state.
• Hit-and-run (leaving the scene): Drivers who are involved in accidents must stop, exchange information, and render assistance. Failure to do so is a crime with penalties.
• Distracted driving: Since 2015, it has been illegal for drivers to text while driving on the road.
• DUI: Oklahoma criminalizes drivers for driving under the influence (alcohol/drugs) with severe penalties and administrative license consequences.

Traffic Violation Penalties in Oklahoma

Various kinds of penalties apply to traffic violations in Oklahoma, depending on the severity of the offense. It may include:

• Fine: The amount of fines may vary by offense type and the court. In some cases, the penalties range from $100 to $1,000.
• Driver-license points (Mandatory Point System): Oklahoma assesses points for many moving traffic violations. If a driver accumulates 10 or more points within five years, Service Oklahoma will suspend their driving privileges.
• Point relief/reductions: For a driver,
  • Completing an approved Driver Improvement/Defensive Driving course may remove 2 points (once every 24 months) from their record.
  • Twelve consecutive months with no pointable convictions may result in 2 points being automatically removed from their record.
  • Three consecutive years with no pointable convictions may ultimately reduce their point level to zero.
• DUI and serious offenses: Penalties for a first-offense DUI may include jail time, fines, ignition-interlock requirements, and suspension or revocation of the driving license. Certain factors, such as high BAC, refusals, injury, or prior offenses, may escalate the penalties.

How to Search for Traffic Violation Records in Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, traffic violation records that are considered public may be accessible from several agencies. However, personal information contained in driving records or court records may be redacted from the public. Such information is deemed confidential, and only authorized individuals may access it.

They include photographs of individuals, social security numbers, signatures, residential addresses, and any relevant medical information. Individuals may search for traffic violation records at:

• Court tickets and dockets:
  • The Oklahoma State Courts Network (OSCN) posts district-court dockets for all counties in the state. Individuals may search for records by party name, case/citation number, or county.
  • Individuals may search docket information and public court records from participating courts through the On-Demand Court Records Portal (ODCR).
  • Individuals also search directly on some court portals like the Oklahoma City Municipal Court Lookup System.
• Your official driving record (MVR): Individuals may order their motor vehicle report (MVR) for three years from Service Oklahoma online or in person. They also submit a completed Motor Vehicle Request for Record to obtain copies of their driving records.

Court pages typically show the charge/statute, events/hearings, disposition, and financial information. The MVR may contain information submitted by insurance companies, license information, points, and other miscellaneous information.

How Long Do Traffic Violations Stay on Record in Oklahoma?

There are two important timelines for residents to keep in mind:

• Point totals (for suspension): Points may accumulate over a five-year window, triggering suspension at 10+ points.
• Driving record (MVR). Serious offenses, such as DUI, may stayon an individual’s driving record for 10 years, but they remain on their criminal record for life. It may affect their future employment and insurance rates.