As of yesterday, the total number of traffic citations given by the Santa Cruz Police since June 1 was 454, according to a report by the Santa Cruz Police Department. That's an average of about 8 per day.
Over the past two months, the most common citation given was for driving while using cell phones, followed by speeding.
Here is a break down of the most common tickets issued, in order of the most commonly issued since June 1:
1. Cell phone tickets
2. Speeding
3. Running a red light
4. DUI
5. Failure to stop at a stop sign
6. Failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk
Average fine costs for these citations vary, but one thing is for certain: you probably don't need the extra expense in your life.
Additional fees are tacked onto the base bail of every ticket which can make a seemingly innocent roll-through-the-stop sign citation balloon in cost into the triple digits.
Other costs tacked onto the base bail of the ticket include fees for DNA Identification, State Surcharge and State court construction, according to Ramona Turner of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, in her traffic blog "Street Smarts."
Although many people say that traffic citations are a way to make money for the city, only 77 percent of the "base bail" amount goes to the city (for running a stop sign that would be about $26.95 for the city), according Deputy Chief Steve Clark of the Santa Cruz Police Department.
For a full breakdown of the additional fees tacked onto a ticket check out Turner's article "Following the Money Paid for Traffic Citations."
Have you gotten cited for violating a traffic law? How much was your ticket? Tell us in the Comments!
