You can prevent citations for traffic offenses by avoiding the most common violations in Florida. At R. David Williams, P.A., Attorney and Counselor at Law in Fort Lauderdale, FL, our legal team has successfully represented hundreds of traffic clients. If you find yourself searching for a traffic criminal lawyer nearby, look for your specific offense below and call us.
What Is a Traffic Violation?
traffic violation occurs when a driver ignores the laws that govern vehicles on our roads. When a Florida driver commits a traffic violation, they may receive a fine, get sent to traffic school, earn unwanted points on their driving record, or even face a license suspension. Explore the two kinds of traffic tickets that a driver might receive when they fail to follow the rules below.
Moving Violations
A moving traffic violation occurs when a driver breaks the rules while operating a vehicle on a public road. Moving traffic violations often involve huge fines and add points to your driving record. Reckless driving, ignoring traffic control devices, and making inappropriate lane changes can lead to a cited moving violation. Some of the most common moving traffic violations include:
- Not using turn signals when necessary
- Violating car seats and other child safety laws
- Failure to stop at a red light
- Not wearing a seat belt while driving
Non-Moving Violations
Non-moving traffic violations involve drivers who break traffic laws while their vehicle remains stationary. In most cases, a non-moving traffic violation ticket does not force the driver to pay a large sum of money in fines. Also, the authorities rarely put points on your driving record. Some of the reasons why a traffic officer may issue a citation to a driver for a non-moving violation include:
- Parking a vehicle in a handicapped space
- Parking in front of a fire hydrant or too close to the curb
- Double-parking
- Maintaining a vehicle with suspended number plates
If you committed a traffic offense in Florida, you can stop Googling “traffic criminal lawyer near me” when you become an R. David Williams client.
What Are the Most Common Traffic Offenses in Florida?
Cell phones have contributed to many road accidents and traffic violations. Operation of a cell phone while driving remains prohibited by traffic rules around the globe. In 2019, traffic officials issued 2,986,986 tickets for it in Florida. Discover some of the most common traffic violations in Florida below.
Speeding
One of the most common traffic violations in the United States involves driving above the speed limit. In Florida, speeding accounted for 704,092 tickets in 2016 alone. When a driver is adjudicated guilty of going 15 miles per hour or more over the speed limit in Florida, the Department of Motor Vehicles will issue three points on her driving record.
Ignoring Stop Signs
Drivers often fail to come to a complete halt at stop signs or red lights. A total of 72,843 drivers in Florida received tickets due to running stop signs in 2016. Failure to obey stop signs can incur points on your driving record, which leads to increased insurance rates.
Suspended Driver’s License
Florida motorists must possess valid driver’s licenses at all times to drive on the roads, avenues, and highways. Carrying a suspended driver’s license can result in fines or criminal charges. When a driver receives their first ticket for driving with a suspended or revoked license, the traffic authorities may consider it a second-degree misdemeanor depending on whether the driver had knowledge of the suspension.
What Kinds of Traffic Violations Appear on a Permanent Record?
The amount of time traffic violation tickets stay on your driving record varies from state to state. A speeding traffic ticket may remain on your driving record for over five years in Florida. When the points on your driving record accumulate, you could face severe consequences, like getting your license revoked, which could lead to possible jail time if you are caught driving on the suspension.
Avoid serious, long-term legal issues by hiring a knowledgeable traffic defense lawyer. Some clients steer clear of hefty fines and traffic school with an experienced criminal traffic lawyer by their sides.
Your familiarity with the rules of the road may fall short when it comes to nuanced areas of the law, so the best way to deal with legal issues involves hiring a trusted traffic criminal lawyer.
How Do You Respond to a Traffic Ticket in Florida?
Clients who receive a traffic ticket in Florida have several options. The best choice for you will depend on the circumstances. If you receive a traffic ticket, you can:
- Pay the ticket
- Attend traffic school and pay a reduced fine
- Go to court to contest the citation
At the Law Offices of R. David Williams, Your Defense Is Personal to Us
Have you received a ticket in Florida and need a traffic criminal lawyer in or near Fort Lauderdale, FL? Contact our legal team at R. David Williams, P.A., Attorney and Counselor at Law, by calling 954-522-9997 for a free traffic ticket defense consultation. It’s the best possible defense, personalized.
Copyright© 2022. Law Offices of R. David Williams, PA. All rights reserved.
The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author or the law firm, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.
Law Offices of R. David Williams, P.A.
15 SW 10th St.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
(954) 522-9997
https://dwilliamslaw.com/
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