What does 'traffic' mean?

[slimfandango]

What does 'traffic' mean? On the US visa immigration form, it says not to mention any offence you may have committed that is a 'traffic offence'. I can think of a few that might be pertinent, but it seems so vague.
-missing your car tax by a month?
-speeding?
-illegally parked?

[kempie]

http://www.answers.com/traffic&r=67

I'm sure this is a case of a word in common usage that has lost it's original meaning. Here I believe they mean 'vehicular/pedestrian' offences against (in UK) the Road Traffic Act, so although traffic implies movement, offences covered would also include illegal parking (no movement).

[landie]

Do they mean drug trafficking or people trafficking?

[Ouisch]

As a rule, in the US when it comes to traffic offenses, they're concerned with moving violations, such as speeding, accident (collision), accident causing injury, accident causing death, driving while intoxicated, driving while impaired, running a red light (proceeding through an intersection when the traffic light is red), going the wrong way down a one-way street, or an illegal turn.  Moving violations add "points" to your driver's license and stay on your record for seven years.

Non-moving violations do not add any points, and are usually just subject to a fine.  These include parking violations, having an expired license plate or not having proof of insurance. 

 

On the visa application, none of the above need to be mentioned, unless you were in a vehicular accident that resulted in a criminal conviction (for example, if you were in an accident causing injury or death, and you were determined to be drunk or impaired at the time.)

[brachiopod]

Does that mean I can say my TWOC-ing conviction was a 'traffic violation'?

[Octavius]

As it is a US visa form I would guess that it is referring to the trafficking of goods or anything illegal across national borders.  Such as you might have a conviction for drug, animal (or heaven forbid) plant smuggling or  worse still for smuggling illegal immigrants.  It ould also mean whether you have been deported from any country for over staying your visa!