Drivers hoping to beat traffic tickets may be out of luck as the number of convictions for traffic summonses are on the rise, according to the NYPD.

The conviction rate for traffic summonses has increased to a staggering 73 percent, from 55 percent for the same period last year.

The NYPD says the number of tickets dismissed for officers' failure to appear in court also dropped by 36 percent compared to the same months in 2011. The number of officers who failed to appear in court dropped from almost 8,000 during January and February of 2011 to about 5,000 this year.

The decreased dismissals and improved conviction rate comes in the wake of a program that monitors officers? court appearances.