10 Aug Red Lights in the Rear View? 10 Reasons to Call a Traffic Law Attorney Right Away
No matter where they live, how long their commutes or what kinds of cars, trucks and SUVs they own, drivers rely on the highway patrol to enforce the laws and keep them safe. At the same time, those drivers are silently hoping that the long arm of the traffic law will never touch them, and that they will never see those dreaded red flashing lights in their rear view mirrors.
No one want to see a cop car behind them, especially when it is flashing its lights and blaring a message to pull over. Even so, most drivers will experience that sense of dread at one point or another, and in many cases resolving the issue will be as simple as admitting their mistake and paying a small fine.
Even so there are times when the resolution might not be so simple, and when that happens engaging the services of a traffic law attorney could be the right thing to do. Here are 10 times when contacting an experienced traffic law lawyer could be the right thing to do.
1. Your job requires a clean driving record. In most cases paying a traffic ticket will mean losing a few dollars, but if you drive for a living even a minor infraction could lead to the loss of your job. If your continued employment relies on a clean driving record, you need a traffic law attorney to protect your ability to make a living.
2. There is a disagreement about the infraction. If the cop insists you rolled through the stop sign but you are sure you stopped, no amount of arguing will settle the point, but an experienced traffic law attorney may be able to. You should engage the services of a professional if there is any kind of disagreement over what happened and what it means.
3. The roadway was illegally posted, or not posted at all. There are rules governing where and how often speed limit signs must be posted, and illegal posting could lead to your traffic ticket being thrown out and any fines and penalties being dismissed. You may not know about the intricacies of these laws, but a good traffic law attorney surely will.
4. You already have points on your license. Every infraction, from running a red light to rolling through a stop sign, is another black mark on your driving record, and when you accumulate too many of them your driving privileges could be at risk. If you already have one more strikes on your driving record, hiring a traffic law attorney could prevent further damage.
5. The fine will be unaffordable. In some ways traffic fines and penalties can be viewed as a regressive tax, one that hits low income drivers harder and leaves wealthier motorists largely unscathed. If the fine from your traffic infraction would cause undue financial stress on yourself and your family, it may be worth your while to work with an experienced traffic law attorney.
6. The cops in your area are infamous for setting speed traps. Strict traffic enforcement is perfectly legal, but speed traps may not be. If the police in your area have a reputation for setting illegal speed traps, a good traffic law attorney may be able to get your ticket thrown out.
7. You are worried about your insurance rates. You can bet the company that provides you with your auto insurance is keeping a close watch on your driving record – and looking for any excuse to raise your premiums. Fighting a traffic citation and winning could end up saving you far more than what the representation of a traffic law attorney will cost.
8. You want to collect evidence. Determining what went wrong and who did what in the aftermath of a traffic accident or fender bender can be difficult, and hiring a traffic law attorney could be the best way to protect your rights. If you are involved in auto accident, you need to seek the help of a professional as soon as possible.
9. You could reduce your fines. Paying fines is never fun, but you may be able to reduce the pain by hiring a professional to represent you and your interests. Attorneys are skilled negotiators, and a traffic law lawyer may be able to negotiate down the fines you have to pay even if you end up pleading guilty.
10. You are not a traffic law expert. You are an expert in what you do for a living, and you know your industry inside and out. What you are not is a traffic law expert, and that is why hiring a professional is so important.
As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to hire a traffic law attorney, and doing so could help you protect your rights. Even more importantly, the money you save on insurance premiums, fines and potential job losses could more than pay for the cost of such a professional, so there is really no reason not to do it.