5 Common Traffic Violations: How A Lawyer Can Help if You Have Been Caught

There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you see red and blue lights flashing in your rear view mirror. You quickly scan your speedometer and your surroundings and wonder, were you speeding? Maybe he’s after somebody else? When he waves you over you know you’re about to get a traffic violation. You quickly calculate how much it’s going to cost you and how many points you’re going to be assessed. The good news is that even though it’s what most people do, you don’t have to automatically pay that ticket – in fact, it could be the absolute worst thing to do. When you sign the back of your ticket and pay the fine, you’re actually pleading guilty, and that can lead to a whole host of problems, including higher insurance rates. The attorneys at Wallace Law are experienced traffic violations attorneys who can help you get those charges reduced, or even dropped.

Though there are many reasons that a police officer could pull you over, certain traffic violations are written more frequently than others. The 5 most common traffic violations are:

1.  Speeding – It doesn’t matter whether you’re driving through a suburban neighborhood or on the highway, if you’re driving over the posted speed limit then you run the risk of being pulled over. You need to be particularly vigilant about paying attention to your surroundings, as police take advantage of areas where the speed limit drops suddenly. You can be cruising along at 40 mph, enter a 25 mph zone without noticing it, and all of a sudden you’re pulled over for going 15 miles per hour over the limit – and that’s a hefty violation.
2. Running a Red Light – Police and law enforcement officials are very concerned about people going through red lights, as it can cause deadly accidents. If you see a light turn yellow, you’re much better off slowing down and waiting then trying to make it through. Not only do you put yourself at risk of getting a ticket if the light turns red faster than you thought it would, but you could end up hurting somebody, and yourself too.
3. Reckless Driving – This is a term that applies to a lot of different ways of driving, but it generally means that you’re driving in a way that puts other drivers on the road in danger because you’re being careless.
4. Improper or Unsafe Lane Changes – When you change lanes on a multi-lane highway you are expected to check to see if other vehicles are nearby and to signal so that other drivers know what you’re doing. Failure to do this can lead to a sizeable ticket.
5. Tailgating – When you drive too close to the bumper of the car in front of you, you not only risk an accident if they stop or slow suddenly, but you can also be charged with driving too aggressively.

Driving is a responsibility that we all should take seriously in order to make sure that we are safe, and that’s why police issue tickets.  If you think you’ve been charged incorrectly or unfairly, or you’re concerned about the ramifications of the ticket you’ve received, contact the attorneys at Wallace Law today to learn more about how we can help.