Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device in Alabama
Disregarding a traffic control device — a stop sign, a red light, a lane marking, a posted restriction — is three points in Alabama under Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.07.
Three points sounds trivial. It is a quarter of the way to a 60-day suspension, and if the citation was written after a collision the conviction can matter in the civil claim that follows.
What the charge covers
- Running a red light or a stop sign
- Disregarding a lane control signal or a posted turn restriction
- Ignoring a one-way, no-entry or do-not-pass sign
- Failing to obey a flagger or temporary control device in a work zone
- Improper turns where a sign governs the movement
Points and what they add to
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Disregarding a traffic control device | 3 points |
| How long points count | Two years from the date of conviction |
| Suspension at 12–14 points | 60 days |
| Suspension at 15–17 points | 90 days |
| Suspension at 24+ points | 365 days |
Nobody gets suspended from one three-point ticket. People get suspended because they paid a three-point ticket last spring, a two-point speeding ticket in the autumn, and then picked up a five-point charge — without ever seeing the total.
Establishing your actual point count is the first step, not the last.
Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.07.Do you know how many points you already have?
Most people do not, and it changes the advice entirely. Call the Athens office.
When this one is worth fighting
- There was a collisionThis is the important one. A conviction for disregarding a control device can be used against you in the civil claim arising from the same accident. Paying the ticket to be done with it can be an expensive shortcut.
- You are near the point thresholdThree more points may be the ones that cost you 60 days.
- You hold a commercial licence or drive for workA moving violation is a different order of problem.
- The device was obscured, missing or malfunctioningA sign hidden by growth, a signal that was out, or temporary work-zone signage that was not where the citation says it was. These are real defences and they turn on evidence gathered early.
- You were not the driverIt happens more often than you would think, particularly with company and family vehicles.
When it probably is not
A clean record, no accident, no commercial licence, and no job that depends on insurability — a three-point conviction may simply not be worth the cost of fighting. That is an honest answer and it is often the right one.
Where it goes
To the court named on the citation. A city police stop goes to that municipality’s court; a county or state trooper stop goes to district court.
Whatever you decide, do not miss the appearance date. Failure to appear can lead to a warrant and a separate suspension, and it is worse than the charge.
What we handle
Traffic charges and DUI. We do not handle felony criminal defence. If your citation is more serious than it looks, we will tell you on the first call.
Questions about traffic sign and signal charges
How many points is running a red light in Alabama?
Disregarding a traffic control device is three points under Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.07. Points count for two years from the date of conviction.
If I pay the ticket, does it go on my record?
Yes. Paying is pleading guilty, the conviction is entered, and the points are assessed. It closes the court file; it does not avoid the record.
Does a stop sign ticket affect my insurance?
Insurers generally see moving violation convictions and price accordingly. The insurance cost frequently exceeds the fine, and it lasts longer.
The sign was covered by a tree branch. Does that matter?
It can. Whether a control device was visible and properly placed is a real question, and photographs taken soon after the citation are far more useful than a description months later. Go back and photograph it.
I got the ticket after an accident. Should I just pay it?
Be careful. A conviction can matter in the civil claim arising from the same collision. Get advice before entering a plea rather than after.
Can someone else’s ticket end up on my record?
If a citation was written to the registered owner rather than the driver, or the details were recorded incorrectly, yes. It is fixable, but it is far easier to fix before the appearance date.
Check the total before you pay
Traffic and DUI defence across Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin and Lawrence Counties.
Daniel Shawn Pickens
Attorney at Daniel S. Pickens Law in Athens, Alabama. The firm handles DUI and traffic defense, real estate closings and title work, estate planning and probate, deeds, business formation and contracts for clients across Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin and Lawrence Counties.