Richmond Traffic School

The Census Bureau estimates 114,861 residents in Richmond on July 1, 2025, and the city's limits take in 30.045 square miles of land and 22.466 of water. Interstate 80 cuts through the eastern and northeastern neighborhoods toward Pinole and Hercules. Interstate 580 follows the southern waterfront through Point Richmond onto the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, 5.5 miles across the bay to Marin County. San Pablo Avenue, part of State Route 123, runs north through San Pablo, and the Richmond Parkway links I-580 at Point Richmond with Hilltop and I-80 along the industrial west side. Macdonald Avenue is the city's main street, with Cutting Boulevard running parallel to the south.

Tickets in Richmond come from two agencies. The Richmond Police Department patrols city streets such as Macdonald Avenue, Cutting Boulevard and Carlson Boulevard, and its Traffic Unit investigates collisions and enforces traffic law with motorcycles, radar and lidar. The California Highway Patrol's Oakland Area lists Richmond among the communities it serves, and its officers patrol Interstates 80 and 580. Either agency's ticket goes to Contra Costa County Superior Court, where the traffic school rules are the same for both.

The state Office of Traffic Safety ranks Richmond among California cities of 100,001 to 250,000 people, where 1st is the worst. In 2023, 253 people were killed or injured in Richmond crashes, 55th of 62, near the safer end. Hit-and-run was the exception. Richmond had 52 hit-and-run crashes that killed or injured someone, 14th of 62. Alcohol-involved crashes killed or injured 47 people, and police made 133 DUI arrests.

Through its Travel Safe Richmond program, the city adopted a Local Roadway Safety Plan whose first goal is fewer fatal and serious injury collisions. In November 2022 the City Council backed traffic calming at 18 locations. Flashing beacons stand at four Carlson Boulevard crossings, at Carl Avenue, Sutter Avenue, Shasta Street and Tehama Avenue, and the city lists striping and signs at the Point Richmond rail crossings as completed. In 2026 it listed a separate rail crossing upgrade where Cutting Boulevard meets Carlson Boulevard as still in design.

Richmond's traffic court is in town. Contra Costa County Superior Court hears traffic at the George D. Carroll Courthouse, 100 37th Street, under DMV court code 07460, and its page for the building lists Richmond among the communities it serves. Visitors use the one entrance, around the corner off Bissell Avenue, and pass a security check. The court's phone number is (925) 608-1000. The reminder notice the court mails names the courthouse for your case.

The court decides on traffic school, and your courtesy notice says whether your ticket qualifies. The court collects the fine and a traffic school administrative fee, sets both, and prints them on the notice with the due date. Mirai Traffic School's course is a separate $24.99. Contra Costa lets you attend with a valid California license if you have not taken traffic school in California in the prior 18 months, measured from one violation date to the next. The final word is the court's.

Mirai Traffic School reports your completion to the DMV electronically, and the court retrieves it from there. The court still holds you responsible for making sure the certificate arrives, so check your Richmond case before the due date and confirm that your name, license number and code 07460 match. The course keeps one conviction in any 18-month period confidential and off your driving record.