I intend no offense, but minor traffic violations are non-criminal offenses like speeding tickets or going through stop signs. Only criminal traffic violations like DUI or dangerous driving would possibly have any effect on an interview for NEXUS or Global Entry. I wouldn't deem any traffic violations that could affect your eligibility to be minor violations.

I saw someone denied at his interview as he had a pending case for texting while driving. Apparently in his state, texting while driving could potentially result in a misdemeanor conviction.

By definition, then, that's not a minor violation.

Harsh, but in my mind, reasonable. I've seen texting drivers and they suck.

At least in Ohio, all speeding violations (even 5mph over on the interstate) result in a misdemeanor conviction. Most people would certainly classify these as "minor traffic violations."

So what happens if you have GE for 2 or 3 years then get convicted of a misdemeanor or something that doesn't involve jail time?

Agreed - that seems ridiculously harsh.

Almost all motor vehicle violations here in Canada are so-called quasi-crimes that involve fines or community service and do not result in entry on criminal records. The exceptions are very serious indeed. A simple speeding ticket - or ten - would never go on a criminal record here, but dangerous driving certainly would.

In most areas of the US, speeding < 30 mph (over the limit) are treated as infractions (fines and/or revocation or suspension of dl is the maximum that can be imposed).
Since the legislatures are ultimately responsible for setting criminal and civil penalties, I'd be curious if any of these elected OHIO officials have ever been convicted of speeding over 5 mph, or do they somehow find secret loopholes to avoid misdemeanor convictions.

They'll probably get you when it comes time for renewal.

Yep, they do, and I bet that really makes him a serious risk to customs.

Good point. I'm still trying to get a good answer as to whether ALL traffic related misdemeanors will result in GE denial. That seems to be the case based on the responses on various threads.

More than likely, there's no hard and fast rule. As other posters have pointed out, what is the hard and fast rule is how you answer CBPs questions and if you're 100% up front in your dealings with them when it comes to information that they already have.

I think what's harsh is GE may not distinguish between real misdemeanors and traffic misdemeanors. Different states categorize the same traffic violations differently, and that shouldn't lead to different eligibility for GE.

If you don't respect traffic law, will you respect Customs laws and rules?

^

Whether i's a judgement error or intentionally breaking the law, it does usually carry over into other parts of your life.

The fact is, we don't know what CBP uses as its criteria. What we do know is there is ample evidence of people who have been arrested and/or convicted of everything from traffic violations to certain misdemeanors, and then are approved for GE.

The evidence we do have seems to suggest that it is not whether or not you have a conviction or arrest on your record, but rather *which* offense it is and how you address it with CBP. In other words, when you complete your application or have your interview, do you give all of the information freely and openly (which the CBP officer likely has in front of him at the time) or do you conveniently omit part of the story?