There is no substitute for good legal advice. North Carolina has several laws that many citizens are not aware of, which if ignored, could stain your driving record for years and cause your insurance premiums to increase drastically. This is why a Charlotte traffic attorney can help you and tell you what your rights are. If you have received a traffic ticket, before putting your ticket in a drawer to deal with later, give SeiferFlatow a call. The consequences from attempting to navigate these complex laws on your own or from missing your court day are often severe. At SeiferFlatow, we are happy to provide you with a free consultation.
A common example of how these laws can get you in trouble is when a motorist pleads guilty to a moving violation which they received during a period of DMV suspension. A Charlotte traffic attorney will advise you on what to do. Even if the violation is minor, such as a stop sign violation, the motorist would still have their driving privileges revoked for a minimum of a year. Another example is when a motorist pleads guilty to a speeding charge of 76 mph or higher when the speed limit is less than 70 mph. In this instance, North Carolina DMV will suspend your driving privileges for a period of time that usually is at least 3 months. Furthermore, pleading guilty to a ticket for expired registration is a misdemeanor conviction as opposed to an infraction in North Carolina. Meeting a Charlotte traffic lawyer will allow you to know all those subtleties which differ from one state to another. It is no different that being convicted of other misdemeanors like trespassing or assault etc. Most states do not have these laws. You might assume that you have been charged with a simple traffic ticket that you would rather just pay than contest, but you may be causing further damage to your driving record than you realize.
Remember this little known fact: Paying off a ticket is an admission of guilt and it is a conviction on your DMV record.
The insurance premium increases are usually more than the amount it would cost to retain an experienced traffic ticket attorney. A moving violation conviction results in insurance premium increases for 3 full years. The first conviction often results in a 25% increase, the second can be as much as a 60% increase and the third conviction in a 3 year period can result in up to a 100% increase in your premiums. Before you know it, you may end up in a situation where you lose your license because you have too many violations on your record or you are unable to obtain affordable insurance because of your violations. Having a Charlotte traffic attorney at your side will usually make all the difference and could avoid such a situation. Before taking the easy way out and simply paying off a traffic ticket, it makes sense to turn to SeiferFlatow first. If your license has a commercial endorsement, that is all the more reason for concern since your livelihood is potentially at stake and certain legal options are not available to you with a commercial drivers’ license. Knowing the law can be difficult, especially if you haven’t been in law school. Consulting a Charlotte traffic lawyer will allow you to know what to do and fight for your rights.
How a Charlotte traffic attorney can help
As stated previously, failing to appear in court, either by choice or by simply forgetting, can have dire consequences. In extreme cases, the Judge may issue a warrant for your arrest and your North Carolina driving privileges will definitely be suspended. If you are subsequently pulled over for any reason, the officer will probably give you a Driving While License Revoked (DWLR) ticket (in addition to any other tickets he may deem appropriate). If you then plead guilty to a DWLR ticket, your privileges will be suspended for an additional period of time: one year for the first offense, three years for the second offense and permanently for a third offense. In order to get your driving privileges back, you will not only have to reopen that DWLR ticket, but you will also have to handle the original offense that you failed to appear on.
Additionally, sometimes you can be charged with a traffic ticket without even realizing it. Often, an officer will write a citation for speeding and reckless driving on the same traffic ticket. The officer might write that you “failed to drive with due caution” or something along those lines. You may not realize it at the time, but this is just another way of saying “Reckless Driving” without writing up a separate ticket. Reckless Driving is a serious offense that carries stiff fines and many insurance points. Without knowing it, you could be pleading guilty to this serious charge when you go to pay what you thought was just a speeding ticket. Our Charlotte traffic attorneys will be able to explain you what to do and won’t leave you alone.
Receiving a traffic ticket is a common occurrence, but if left unattended or handled improperly, it can have severe, long term consequences. The reality is that if you have a traffic ticket, your next step should be to contact a Charlotte attorney to advise you on the matter. The consultation is free, and you may save yourself a lot of grief and aggravation in the long run.
