It's little surprise that traffic tickets can lead to higher insurance premiums. But as travelers hit the road this summer, experts say they may not realize just how much getting pulled over can cost them.

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While nearly 10% of American drivers are ticketed each year for a traffic violation, some infractions hit insurance rates harder than others. A reckless driving charge boosts premiums by 22% on average, for example, while driving without a license adds 18%, according to a recent analysis by Insurance.com, a comparison site. In contrast, getting caught not wearing your seat belt could bump costs by 3%. (See chart for full details; try the tool to see how your age, location and other factors may impact charges.)

Depending on the state, the higher rates could stay in place for as many as seven years, says Michelle Megna, managing editor for Insurance.com. In Louisiana, where Insure.com pegs the average premium at $2,536, that works out to as much as $558 per year in extra insurance costs for a reckless driving charge. Potential cost over seven years: $3,906.

That doesn't even factor in the cost of the ticket, which itself can be prohibitive, says Glenn Magnell, a New York attorney specializing in traffic offenses. Most states set a range for fines. A speeding ticket, for example, may costing anywhere from $50 to $600 depending on how many miles per hour over the limit the driver was traveling. Then there are state and court surcharges for processing tickets and civil "driver responsibility" penalties from the Department of Motor Vehicles. In New York, for example, there's an $85 surcharge for moving violations, and fines that start at $300 if a ticket generates six or more points on your license, he says. Out-of-state drivers may also face penalties from their home state. All told, one ticket can easily cost more than $1,000.

Drivers' best course of action, of course, is to avoid getting a ticket in the first place. But experts say ticketed drivers do have options for cutting their fines, points and insurance costs. Here are five:

Fight the ticket

Audio

Kelli Grant discusses some things consumers can do to tame the cost of traffic tickets with The Wall Street Journal This Morning's Andrew Colton.

Drivers who plead guilty or just pay the ticket miss out on the possibility of having their case dismissed or the points and fines reduced, says John Bowman, a spokesman for the National Motorists Association. "If you fight the ticket, you can almost always come out ahead," even factoring in the time and court costs, he says. Best strategies vary, but consumers should send a "request for discovery" to the court, which turns up details like what ordinance they were charged with and other information -- say, for a speeding charge, whether the officer used a radar gun and when that device was last calibrated. "That helps you build your own defense," he says. Hiring a lawyer for more serious charges, or ones incurred out of state, may also work out in your financial favor.

Weigh alternate pleas

Prosecutors and judges often have leeway in charges and fines, and may offer a deal to avoid a full traffic trial, Magnell says. Depending on the charge and your driving record, they may offer a plea deal with a reduced fine, fewer points or other conditions. Bowman says drivers might ask about "deferred adjudication," in which they plead guilty and agree to meet court requirements. Those often include completing a defensive driving course or paying the ticket fine, and not incurring more violations within a probationary period. In exchange, he says, "they essentially wipe out any record of the offense, and don't report it on your driving record or to the insurance company."

Shop for a new policy

State laws vary, but generally experts say traffic violations can trigger insurance surcharges for about three years. More serious violations like DUIs and reckless driving charges could linger for five to seven. The surcharges are usually a percentage of your base rate, so compare to see if another insurer can beat what you currently pay, she says. Ask each about its surcharge policy, too. Tailgating surcharges average 13%, for example, but some insurers might scale that back a bit each year if you don't have new tickets. Others tack on the full surcharge year after year.

While you're shopping, ask about any discounts you might be eligible for by say, also having a homeowners' policy with the company, driving a particularly safe car model, or being affiliated with a particular college or employer. (Another reason to survey options: some insurers are starting to consider your driving record when assessing rates for homeowners insurance. It would be cheaper to find a company that doesn't link the two.)

Keep your nose clean

Some insurers have forgiveness policies that can limit or eliminate extra charges for a first accident or ticket, says Loretta Worters, a vice president at the Insurance Information Institute. She suggests calling to find out how your insurer plans to handle the ticket. But if there's another incident within a year or so? Forget about it. Penalties can escalate even faster if a driver gets multiple tickets within a short period of time. "It indicates to the company that for some reason, there seems to be this path that the person is taking to be a careless driver," says Worters.

Take a driving course

Depending on the state, taking a defensive driving course can reduce the number of points on your license and, in turn, the surcharges your insurer might assess. In Wisconsin, for example, drivers can take a state-approved traffic safety course for a three-point reduction. That's enough to clear points accrued for driving one to 10 miles per hour over the limit, or halve a reckless driving charge. (The state only allows such action once every three years on a driver's record.) Many courts will offer you the option of taking a course, with costs running as low as $25 for the entire course. Some can even be taken online.