An Overview of Traffic Ticket Laws in New York State

Were you charged for a traffic ticket violation? The more you know about the laws surrounding traffic tickets, the better off you will be

Being charged with a traffic violation can come with hefty fines and dramatically increase your insurance premiums. Whether you are charged with any infraction from speeding to reckless driving, it is important to know how these violations are treated in the state of New York so that you can navigate the repercussions with confidence and clarity.

Common Types Of New York Traffic Violations and the Penalties They Carry

There is a myriad of different actions a motorist may engage in which could lead to being charged with a traffic violation. In many cases, when an individual is issued a traffic ticket by law enforcement, their first instinct is to simply plead guilty and mail it to the court. However, that often turns out to be an enormous mistake and it is crucial to first fully understand that this short-sightedness may cost you more time, money, and points on your license than you deserve or can tolerate.

A moving violation can come with serious consequences. Not only are there fines involved, but if points are added to your license, it could result in higher insurance costs, license suspension, or even license revocation. Some of the most common violations in the state of New York are that carry these penalties include:

• Speeding
• Unlawful use of electronic device (cell phone or even GPS)
•  Failure to move over
• Improper stopping at a stop sign
• Passing a red light
• Improper land change
• Failure to use a turn signal

Depending on the nature of your violation, any of these could adversely affect your license because of the points that get added to your driving record. For example, for speeding 1-10 miles per hour above the speed limit, you would get 3 points added to your license, and for reckless driving, passing a stopped school bus, and holding a cell phone while driving for talking, texting, or reading emails, messages, etc., there would be 5 points added. The more points you have on your license, the higher your insurance costs are, and the more likely license suspension or revocation is to occur.

How To Check Traffic Tickets Online

To review your driving history from DMV, pay Driver’s Responsibility Assessments (DRA), and other DMV related actions online, you can visit this link. And with the assistance of an attorney, you may be able to better understand and mitigate the worst aspects of a ticket altogether.

Lawyer Rex Pietrobono will take an in-depth look at your fees and the police’s record of your motor vehicle infraction. By spotting errors in the accusatory instruments and inconsistencies with facts, traffic tickets lawyers have the skills required to reduce and even dismiss your ticket – if the option is available.

Is There Jail Time Associated with Unpaid Traffic Tickets?

The short, limited answer is ‘no.’ However, whether you’ve forgotten about your traffic ticket, or simply cannot afford it, there are penalties which arise from an unpaid or unanswered ticket. This usually may result in hefty higher fines and ‘scofflaw lift fees,’ but not criminal charges. But the problem is that you can end up with a suspended license for not paying or answering your ticket. Driving with a suspended license may result in a charge of an Aggravated Unlicensed Operation misdemeanor, which is a an unclassified misdemeanor crime which come with enhanced penalties and worse—a criminal record.

If you are facing an unpaid ticket, but don’t know how to proceed, working with may be helpful to your navigating your way through getting your matter(s) resolved.

How a Traffic Ticket Attorney Can Help You

A traffic ticket attorney will play an integral role in helping to gather information, helping you to understand their implications, choosing the path to take, and putting your vehicular matter(s) behind you.

The Law Office of Rex M. Pietrobono

If you have any questions about this article, or if you are interested in a free initial consultation, please feel free to contact the office of The Law Office of Rex M. Pietrobono.

You can reach our firm in Mount Kisco, New York by calling (914) 301-7500 or by visiting our client contact page on our website: www.newyorkstate.lawyer.