What happens if you refuse to sign a traffic ticket?

Answer 1

The law in Florida has been amended such that you only have to sign a ticket if it (1) is a "criminal" traffic citation or (2) it requires a "mandatory hearing" in court.

Section 318.14(2) of the Florida Statutes provides:

(2) Except as provided in ss. 316.1001(2) and 316.0083, any person cited for a violation requiring a mandatory hearinglisted in s. 318.19 or any other criminal traffic violation listed in chapter 316 must sign and accept a citation indicating a promise to appear.

A citation for a bad tail light, a civil traffic offense, does not require a signature. There is a case currently pending in Orlando Florida that is addressing this specific issue where an officer lied to a motorist that he had to have her "sign" the tail light ticket.

http://baycommunitynews.com/traffic-stop-and-arrest-of-ucf-college-student-for-bad-tail-light-takes-surprising-twist-the-southern-christian-leadership-conference-sclc-steps-in-to-plead-and-pray-that-justice-be-done/

Answer 2

You could be arrested and taken into custody.

Signing the ticket is not admitting guilt. It is only promising to appear at your court date to answer the charges.