Los Altos Traffic School

The Census Bureau puts Los Altos at 30,965 residents on July 1, 2025. Interstate 280, State Route 85 and State Route 82, which is El Camino Real, all cross the city. San Antonio Road runs through the middle of town and links El Camino Real with Foothill Expressway.

Tickets in Los Altos come from two agencies. The Los Altos Police Department patrols city streets, and although every officer enforces traffic law, its Traffic Unit concentrates on enforcement, hit-and-run follow-up and the investigation of major injury and fatal crashes. On the freeways, the California Highway Patrol's Redwood City, San Jose and Hollister-Gilroy Areas serve Santa Clara County. A ticket from either agency goes to Santa Clara County Superior Court, and the court's traffic school rules do not change with the agency.

The California Office of Traffic Safety's 2023 rankings count 66 people killed or injured in Los Altos crashes, 71st of 93 cities of similar size, where 1st is the worst result. Bicycling is the weak spot. The 8 bicyclists killed or injured rank 31st, far closer to the top of the group than the city's overall place. Speed-related collisions that killed or hurt someone numbered 13, ranked 49th, and 4 pedestrians were killed or injured, ranked 71st. These numbers measure the city's streets overall and say nothing about who was at fault in any single case.

The police Traffic Division uses collision and violation trends to pick high-priority areas, with a focus on schools, downtown and neighborhoods, and it joins Los Altos schools on Walk or Wheel Days to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety. The city's Complete Streets Commission advises the City Council on projects for streets planned around everyone who uses them, from people on foot and on bikes to drivers and transit riders. The Complete Streets Master Plan, published in 2022, sets a long-term vision for walking and bicycling, and the Safe Routes to School program posts suggested route maps for schools from Almond Elementary to Los Altos High School.

Santa Clara County Superior Court takes Los Altos traffic tickets at two courthouses and lets you choose either. One is the Family Justice Center Courthouse at 201 North First Street in San Jose, the other the South County Morgan Hill Courthouse at 301 Diana Avenue in Morgan Hill, and (408) 556-3000 is the traffic line for both. The court also has a courthouse in Palo Alto, but it hears criminal cases only, so a traffic ticket does not go there. When you deal with the court or enroll, use the court code printed on your citation.

Traffic school is the court's decision, and the courtesy notice is where it starts. Until your citation reaches the court's computer system, you cannot pay it or sign up for traffic school. Once it is entered, the court mails a courtesy notice that outlines your options and gives a due date. The court's bail schedule marks each offense as eligible for traffic school or not, and electing it adds a court fee for monitoring traffic violator schools, which your notice shows. Mirai Traffic School's $24.99 is a separate payment. State law keeps one traffic school conviction in any 18-month period confidential.

Mirai Traffic School reports your completion to the DMV electronically, and the court retrieves it from there. The court accepts proof of completion from DMV-licensed schools, and once the school has notified it, the court says there is nothing further for you to do. Keep Mirai Traffic School's confirmation with your Los Altos citation until the court shows the case closed.