Philadelphia Attorney for Serious Traffic Offenses
Traffic tickets may seem like low-level violations, but the fines and penalties for some traffic tickets can stack up. If you face enough traffic violations in a short period of time, you may even lose your license. In addition, some serious criminal offenses like DUI are technically traffic violations, and you may need an attorney to help you avoid serious jail time and fines.
For help with your traffic tickets or traffic warrants, call The Law Offices of Lloyd Long today. Our Philadelphia traffic ticket lawyers can help fight your traffic tickets and work to get charges dropped or dismissed. To schedule your free consultation, call our law offices today at (215) 302-0171.
Philadelphia Lawyer for Traffic Offenses
Many traffic offenses come with tickets and fines. These offenses go on your driving record and can have permanent or long-term effects on your driver’s license and insurance rates. If you get too many traffic tickets too close together, your license may be suspended, and you will not be able to drive for a period of time. PennDOT (the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) is responsible for these suspensions, not the court.
Many “moving violations” (traffic offenses for actions while driving) come with “points.” These points go on your license and continue to build for each violation you commit. If you reach 6 points, your license will be suspended for 30 days or until you pass an exam on safe driving, driving rules, and other safety issues. Passing the test within 30 days gets 2 points taken off your license.
If you reach 6 points again, you may be summoned for a hearing, where PennDOT may suspend your license for 15 days or order you to take another exam. Again, you have 30 days to complete the exam to have 2 points removed, but these points will not be removed until after the 15-day suspension ends.
If you reach 6 points on your license a third time, PennDOT may suspend your license again for 30 days.
If you reach a total of 11 points on your license at any time, you will get your license suspended 5 days per point for the first suspension. Every subsequent suspension adds an additional 5 days per point, but all suspension after the third are automatic one-year suspensions.
If you can go 12 months straight without an infraction or suspension, 3 points will be removed.
Many infractions have a point value assigned to them, but not all. The following are some examples of common traffic infractions that put points on your license:
- Running a red light or stop sign – 3 points
- Most passing violations – 3 points
- Tailgating – 3 points
- Illegal U-turn – 3 points
- Speeding 6-10mph over the speed limit – 2 points
- Speeding 11-15mph over the speed limit – 3 points
- Speeding 16-25mph over the speed limit – 4 points
- Speeding 26-30mph over the speed limit – 5 points
- Speeding 31 mph or more over the speed limit – 5 points
- Careless driving – 3 points
- Leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage only – 4 points
These are not all of the possible violations that have point assessments but are some of the most common and most severe.
In addition to points, some violations have automatic license suspensions or require hearings on whether or not to suspend your license. Speeding 31mph or more over the speed limit requires a hearing that can end in a 15-day suspension. Speeding in a work zone similarly has a 15-day suspension. Failing to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights is an especially serious offense with an automatic 60-day suspension and 5 points on your license.
Philadelphia Defense Attorney for Traffic Warrants
When you get a ticket for a traffic offense, it will have a court date on it. The police officer usually explains that you can either pay the fine or challenge the ticket in court and points out the court date on the ticket. If you fail to appear in court, the judge may issue a “bench warrant” for your arrest. Usually, police do not go to your house and arrest you on these bench warrants, but instead wait until you have another run-in with the law and arrest you or notify you of your obligation to appear at that time.
If you have multiple unpaid traffic tickets, the court may have a bench warrant for your arrest. If you are pulled over for another traffic violation or have another run-in with law enforcement, they may arrest you and forcibly take you to court to address your tickets.
This can mean facing expensive fines for multiple violations, all at once. You should always have a lawyer represent you any time you appear in court, and the Philly traffic ticket lawyers at The Law Offices of Lloyd Long may be able to help. If you know that you have unpaid traffic tickets or traffic warrants, talk to a Philadelphia criminal defense lawyer about how to address your outstanding tickets and get the warrant taken care of.
Our Philadelphia Traffic Citation Lawyers Offer Free Consultations
If you or a loved one is facing a traffic ticket with a high fine or high point value, or if you face multiple traffic tickets and potential traffic warrants, talk to an attorney today. The Philadelphia traffic ticket lawyers at The Law Offices of Lloyd Long may be able to help. To schedule a free consultation on your case, contact our law offices today at (215) 302-0171.
