Driver Safety Programs in Minnesota Deemed Unlawful
A state auditor determines that “diversion programs” that allow drivers to take courses instead of paying for tickets are illegal
If you get pulled over for speeding in Minnesota, you can opt to take a driving safety course or pay the ticket. According to Minnesota Public Radio, that process has been deemed “illegal” by a state auditor.
Many opt to take the class because the class not only costs less than the ticket, but the violation does not go on one’s driving record. Counties offer these programs because it reduces the number of driving cases to enter the court system. The state auditor’s report has deemed this illegal, because it allows a bad driver to take diversion programs in various counties across the state, with no one keeping track of how many they’ve done.
Various counties across the state have programs such as these. And according to MPA, the whole process brings up another issue: money. The state gets roughly one third of money collected from a traffic ticket. However, the auditor found that only two cities shared their driver safety class funds (totaling $1.6 million statewide) with the state. An attorney, Erick Kaardal, is suing one such county, Wabasha County, over the program and has deemed it “illegal spending.”
For more information, visit: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/11/14/news/driver-safety-class