Safety & Justice
Clearer Notices Increase Responses to Traffic Tickets and Save Drivers Millions
The Problem
In California, traffic citations can cost hundreds of dollars. These large fines create billions in debt and hit low-income drivers the hardest. To address this, the state launched MyCitations, an online system that allows people to request income-based reductions to their fines based on ability to pay. We partnered with Tulare County Superior Court to increase usage of this program and also timely response to citation deadlines, which were costing 29% of ticketed drivers additional penalties of up to $300, suspended licenses, and debt collection.
Our Solution
Working with Tulare County, we redesigned the mailed notices sent to drivers to make critical information easier to find, understand, and act on. The new designs highlighted deadlines and fine amounts at the top, clearly explained options to resolve their ticket including reducing fines through MyCitations, simplified language, and made the consequences of missing deadlines more visible to help people understand their choices and take action before penalties escalated.
In addition to the notices, we redesigned the envelopes to encourage people to open them immediately. The front includes the message, “The court needs to hear from you. Open today.” The back flap advertises MyCitations to further highlight this option. All court materials were designed with insights from behavioral science to avoid overwhelming citation recipients, help them better navigate their options for resolving a citation, and encourage action by the deadline to avoid additional consequences.
The Results
The redesigned notices:
Increased timely responses: Drivers who received the new notices were 7% more likely to respond by the deadline..
Boosted fine reduction applications: Applications to MyCitations increased by 140%. The new notices generated approximately 4,219 additional applications, totaling $1.3 million in new savings.
Reduced burden on courts: Fewer missed deadlines directly cuts government costs by clearing case logs faster, eliminating the need for follow-ups, and preventing the additional expenses of imposing and clearing penalties.
The success in Tulare County demonstrates that clearer notices, explicit consequences for inaction, and better communication about fine-reduction options can help more people respond on time and access the relief they need, an approach that’s replicable for court systems nationwide.
