I think no matter where we have learned our English, the meaning of “fine” should be the same. If one is fined for parking on an expired meter, he is liable for the amount of the fine (here, “fine” merely means the money he owes to the city government) , however with the option to contest the fine (of the ticket) In court, or just pay the fine within the time limit. A traffic citation is a notice to a driver of his bad behavior behind the wheel which is to legally bind his violation to a penalty under the state laws.
If the police allows a driver to drive away after issuing a citation, that means there is outstanding warrant (unpaid fines or other pending traffic violations).
This is a true account of my experience. I used to live in Fremont, Calif. back in year 2000. Coming home from work on day, I made a right turn at a red light after I made sure there was no oncoming traffic. I didn’t realize that I was being photoed by the newly installed cameras at the intersections. Many Californians usually do not make a complete stop behind the white lines before making a right turn when it’s deemed safe. With the newly installed camera in major intersections above the overhanging traffic lights, motion sensors are activated to detect the vehicle motion and position. If the vehicle was not completely stopped before making the right turn while the light is red, the driver will be fined $360 which was my case. I received a mail a week later from the City’s police department with my beautifully photographed pictures, frame by frame with lapsed time printed on them. When a City’s treasury is running low on budget, that’s one way to generate revenues and this is very affective method. Many cities in the Bay Area soon followed. After paying the fine, registration for the traffic school (to remove the point for this violation), plus the fee for the school (8 hours), it cost me $420 dollars! Ouch!