If you fail to pay a traffic ticket/citation or to appear in court on the hearing date (or have your attorney appear on your behalf) the court may issue a warrant for your arrest—and may add the additional charge of failure to appear, which will include additional fines and other potential consequences.
In Illinois, if you fail to pay a traffic ticket or citation, or if you do not appear in court on the scheduled hearing date, the court may issue a bench warrant for your arrest. This can also happen if you do not have an attorney appear on your behalf if required. Additionally, the court may charge you with 'failure to appear,' which can result in extra fines and other potential consequences such as a suspension of your driver's license. The specific penalties and process can vary by county, but generally, the failure to comply with traffic citations is taken seriously and can lead to increased legal trouble beyond the original traffic violation.