Law enforcement agencies in Florida write millions of citations for traffic violations every year. For instance, the Florida Highway Patrol reported in a single recent year, law enforcement issued more than 3.1 million traffic citations across the state. That means 15.5 percent of Floridians got a ticket that year (though some surely went to tourists and visitors too).
The Fort Lauderdale traffic violation attorneys at The Ansara Law Firm know many people simply pay the ticket and move on. They figure it’s not worth the time it will take to research on their own, take time of work and sit for hours in court trying to defend themselves. Truth be told, they are probably right about that – but that isn’t their only option.
An experienced traffic ticket defense attorney in Broward County can often help you avoid that kind of drain on your time and still obtain a better outcome.
When considering whether to hire a lawyer to handle your traffic ticket, here’s what you must remember: Paying it is an admission of guilt. Yes, it might be over faster, but it’s not necessarily going to cost you less or reduce your hassle. You must consider the inevitable uptick in your auto insurance rates, the additional points on your license and possibly even the loss of driving privileges. Depending on the type of ticket and your driving record, you could be looking at mandatory enrollment in traffic school, which is going to cost you time and tuition.
Our dedicated, skilled team of Broward traffic ticket attorneys can help you fight back when you have been cited with:
While some of these offenses may be relatively minor, traffic violations in some instances can be serious misdemeanors or even felonies. Florida traffic laws are found in Title XXIII of Florida Code, which covers A-Z everything about motor vehicles in Florida in ch. 316 to ch. 324. Most traffic infractions are going to be found in Chapter 316, which covers state uniform traffic control. Other sections cover requirements for vehicles and driver’s licenses, but it’s Chapter 316 that outlines most driver expectations and penalties for violations.
Driving – whether it’s on a road, street, highway or interstate – is considered by the legislature to be a privilege. You can lose that privilege or face certain restrictions or sanctions when you don’t follow the law. Certainly, lawmakers have a valid interest in reducing deadly traffic crashes, considering they cause thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries in the state, costing taxpayers billions of dollars each year.
However, law enforcement agencies in their vigor sometimes issue citations that aren’t warranted. They are also human, which means they make mistakes too. Witnesses may not always provide accurate testimony, especially when it comes to incidents on the road because they happen very fast and fear can skew one’s memory.
A traffic defense attorney in Fort Lauderdale will fight to help you mitigate the damage and reduce the impact this will have to your life.
Types of Traffic Tickets in FloridaThere are three basic types of traffic tickets in Florida:
Criminal traffic offenses are those like DUI and leaving the scene of an accident or reckless driving or fleeing and eluding – they are punishable under criminal law. You have the potential in these cases to serve jail time, be placed on probation and likely pay a sizable fine.
Moving violations, meanwhile, are not criminal, but still violate Florida traffic codes and your common law duty of care to operate your vehicle in a reasonably safe manner. Examples would be offenses like careless driving, making an improper turn, following someone too closely or running a red light.
Non-moving violations are typically considered the least serious. These would be citations one would receive for offenses like not wearing a bicycle helmet, not wearing a seat belt, not having your proof of insurance or displaying an expired license plate tag. Interestingly, the FHP also classifies “texting and driving” as a non-moving offense, though distraction is named as a driving force behind the growing number of car accidents in Florida.
Disputing a Florida Traffic TicketAs noted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV), to dispute a ticket, you must appear in traffic court in the county where the ticket was received. Details about which court that is and when your hearing date is will be located on the back of your ticket, or else you can contact the local clerk’s office.
When you hire a traffic ticket attorney, we may be able to appear on your behalf, particularly if this is not a criminal matter.
In criminal cases, particularly those that arise after a collision that resulted in serious injury, there is a likelihood you will be required to appear in court, and there will probably be more than one court appearance required.
We will always work to make the process as painless as possible, and fight to reduce your charges, fines and other penalties.
If you wish to fight a Fort Lauderdale traffic ticket, call The Ansara Law Firm today for your free initial consultation at (954) 761-4011.