The Impact of Traffic Violations

Sometimes you need to think of obtaining legal advice when you are faced with traffic violations. Although most people don’t think of hiring a lawyer before appearing in traffic court, there are times when you may want to have legal representation. There is no doubt that charges of Driving Under the Influence or Driving While Intoxicated may be reduced if you come into court with a lawyer, but sometimes other moving violations may also be reduced if you have legal counsel. Some charges that may benefit from hiring legal counsel include:

• Speeding
• Running a Red Light
• Failing to Yield Right of Way
• Failing to Stop at a Stop Sign
• Reckless Driving

The Insurance Factor

Even if you really are innocent, going into traffic court without a lawyer is not going to help your case. Being convicted of a moving violation can have a serious impact on your insurance rates, especially a DUI or DWI. Even if you are guilty, if you can reduce the number of points that are applied to your driving record, the impact on your insurance rates will be reduced as well. Some insurance companies routinely check a policyholder’s driving record while others only do it upon commencement of the policy. For many insurance companies, loss of driving privileges automatically puts you into a high risk category for three years.

Avoiding the Maximum Penalty

Vehicular manslaughter is another area that definitely warrants having a lawyer. Many times this goes hand in hand with a DUI or DWI although it can be an offense on its own if you recklessly caused a fatal accident. Showing up in court without a lawyer on serious moving violations is likely to cause the judge to impose the maximum penalty in both fines and points on your driving record whether you are guilty or not. Choosing legal representation for serious moving violations can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars in fines and increased insurance rates.

If you’re not certain whether you should hire a lawyer to represent you in traffic court, you want to weigh the situation. Look at what the violation is and what the impact will be in fines, court costs, and changes in your insurance rates. The monetary impact that the violation will cause will determine whether you want to pay a lawyer to represent you. The higher the potential cost of the violation, the higher the chances are that a lawyer can help you obtain a reduced charge. You want to weigh the cost of defending yourself against and probably getting a higher fine against hiring a lawyer who can obtain a lower fine and fewer points.

If you discover you need a lawyer to assist you with a moving violation, CentralJerseyLegalServices.com has experienced staff that is ready and willing to provide representation. Keep in mind that serious moving violations will require more assistance than minor infractions, so you will certainly want to hire only the very best to represent you.