traffic ticket on vehicle

4 Signs It’s Time to Hire a Traffic Ticket Lawyer

Drivers in New York face strict penalties whenever they’re charged with traffic offenses. If you drive a car in New York, even a minor violation can have significant consequences. Most traffic offense convictions result in hefty financial penalties, and the legal fallout may affect you for years to come.

In many situations, an experienced traffic ticket lawyer can help you fight the charges and keep your driving record clean. If you drive anywhere in Central New York, learn more about some situations that may call for a ticket lawyer consultation.

1. Repeat Traffic Violations

New York’s system of tracking and disciplining repeat offenders is one of the strictest in the country. You become subject to the New York State Driver Points System whenever you’re convicted of a moving violation. The points you’ll receive vary, depending on the type of offense, but enough points will result in license suspension and expensive fines.

Under current statutes, any driver who receives 11 points within 18 months faces license suspension. Should you receive six or more points within the same time frame, you’ll be subject to New York’s Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee of $300, plus an additional $25 for every point beyond the sixth.  

Some common violations and their respective point values include:

  • Driving more than 10 mph over the limit – 4 points
  • Driving more than 40 mph over the limit – 11 points
  • Texting while driving – 5 points
  • Reckless driving – 5 points
  • Red light violation – 3 points
  • Failure to signal – 2 points
  • Illegal turn – 2 points

When you’ve already received multiple traffic convictions, you’ll likely want to consult with a skilled traffic ticket attorney to discuss your options for fighting the charges in court. Avoiding an additional conviction can help keep your driving privileges.

2. Commercial or Professional Drivers 

If you drive as part of your job, a traffic violation can jeopardize your ability to perform your duties and could result in lost wages, dismissal, or other serious consequences.

Professionals who may be at risk include:

Many jobs hold driving records to stricter standards. If you work in any driving-related profession, your best option may be to fight the charges in court to avoid a conviction. 

3. Serious Traffic Violations

While illegal turns and minor moving violations can still put other motorists at risk, serious traffic violations can potentially cause serious accidents. As such, the law is uncompromising regarding convictions for major moving offenses.

Some of these offenses include:

Serious traffic offenses can result in jail time and heavy fines, which could continue to impact your life for years if you’re convicted.

4. Wrongful Charges

Sadly, many motorists who are pulled over and cited for traffic violations are innocent. 

Law enforcement officers make mistakes, especially when citing drivers for moving violations. Anytime human error results in a wrongful ticket, you have the legal right to challenge the charges in court.

In some cases, radar guns and speed detection equipment aren’t properly calibrated and can result in false readings. In others, police make visual mistakes or lack proper education on traffic laws. Some officers may even engage in illegal traffic stops when they have no probable cause to pull you over.

Facing Traffic Ticket Violations in New York

If you think you’ve been wrongfully charged for a traffic violation, an attorney can investigate the available evidence and help you plead your case in court. New York Traffic Ticket Lawyers represent clients throughout Central New York. Call us today to schedule a free consultation and find out how we can help you.

David Hammond, Esq. is a traffic offense lawyer and prosecutor that has over a decade of experience fighting for the rights of service members and their families. He served nine years and went on two combat tours as an active duty US Army officer. He then joined the Reserves and moved to Syracuse to be near his family. Not only does he defend the rights of Central New Yorkers, but he also has a veteran-focused practice. David represents servicemen and women before the military appellate courts and takes cases to fix service members’ military records. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact David by clicking here.