Who Is not eligible:
You cannot go to school for any:
Misdemeanor
Violation that has a mandatory Court appearance
Alcohol related violation
Also, the California Vehicle Code (see section VC40005 on this state code page) states that certain drivers with a commercial drivers license cannot attend traffic school. Note: This applies to any holder of a commercial drivers license regardless of the type of vehicle being driven at the time of the violation.
Also, if you have gone to Traffic School for a ticket that you got within the last 18 months, you cannot go to the standard 8-hour Traffic School for this citation.
The violation will still show on your DMV printout - however, a point will not be added to your driving record.
See the section below on sending proof of completing the class to the Court. If you don't send proof to the Court that you finished traffic school, the dismissal will not appear on your record. This may affect your car insurance.
What are the advantages of attending school?
If you complete Traffic School, the Court will dismiss the charge. No one, except for the Court, will know about the charge or that you went to Traffic School. (See exception in the section above.)