Most people tend to write off traffic tickets as inconsequential mistakes that can be dealt with at some later time. However, they can add up and cause serious problems for drivers, especially if you rely on your vehicle to get you to work. Calling a Fairfield County traffic ticket attorney can help eliminate the problem smoothly and efficiently.

Do Not Automatically Plead Guilty

In Connecticut, there are moving violations, and then there are what the law calls motor vehicle crimes. The latter is going to be more serious, and these include offenses like speeding, hit-and-run, failure to obey a stop sign or traffic signal, or driving with a suspended license. It is possible for you to plead guilty to these types of offenses, or to fight them with a Stamford traffic ticket lawyer. While some may advise you to just plead guilty and get the matter over and done with, an experienced attorney will usually advise against it. A guilty plea will net you both points on your Connecticut drivers’ license, and points with your insurer, which can cause your rate to go through the proverbial roof.

DMV points in particular - the points on your driver’s license - can wind up being very expensive in the long run. Connecticut law assigns between one and five points for every infraction - for example, failing to signal properly adds one point to your license while following too closely will add three. If you have 10 total points on your license at any point, it will automatically be suspended for 30 days. If you have another situation where you have 10 total points on your license within the next five years, your license will then be suspended for up to two years.

No one sees traffic tickets as particularly significant, but moving violations can add up and cause significant time and trouble for people who get them, especially if you build up a few without paying them. Enlisting the right traffic ticket attorney can help ensure that your ticket or tickets are handled in the most efficient and just manner possible, and possibly help you avoid having to make an admission of guilt as well.

Guilty Pleas Carry Heavy Fines

Most people see moving violations as minor issues, but the fines can add up. Connecticut has been making a concerted push to seemingly hand out more tickets, both to raise state revenue and ostensibly to make streets safer, and many simply choose to pay them off instead of contesting them. However, points do accrue on your driving record if you admit guilt, even though moving violations are infractions - not crimes or civil torts. Violations like speeding, following too closely, and making an illegal turn will all add points.

If you have reached a total of six or more points on your record, the Connecticut DMV will send a warning letter to you advising you of that fact. You will also be advised that if you go on to exceed ten points, your license will be suspended for 30 days. In turn, if you then exceed ten points at any point in the next five years, the Department of Motor Vehicles then has the authority to suspend your license until your record dips below ten points. Points fall off your record within 24 months, or sometimes you are able to have them removed upon completion of a defensive driving course.

Commercial trucks, whether big rigs or smaller vehicles, are strictly regulated in Connecticut, and sometimes out-of-state drivers are surprised by the consequences for what may seem a petty violation. However, for a commercial truck driver, any moving violation can be a serious problem, so it is a good idea to enlist a Fairfield County truck violation attorney to ensure that any issues are handled as quickly and appropriately as possible.

Weight Violations

The most common trucking violations in Connecticut are weight violations, meaning that a truck is carrying too heavy a load. While this may not seem to be a particularly egregious offense, heavy trucks have a significant and serious impact on highway and bridge infrastructure, a large proportion of which is already in a state needing repair. Also, overweight trucks may not respond as quickly as those under the appropriate weight, so if evasive action is needed (for example, if a driver must react quickly to avoid a crash), they may not respond well.

Most weight violations are punished by a fine, the amount of which is calculated by the formula given in Connecticut’s statute. It can be very easy to simply give up and pay the fine, but doing that means that the moving violation will appear on your driving record going forward. Depending on the violation, this can pose a real problem for you - it may affect your ability to get a job in the future, or raise your insurance rate to a point where your employer may object. Contesting the ticket is generally a good idea because if you can get it reduced or dismissed, your driving record will benefit.

Most people think of traffic violations as everyday occurrences that one can pay a fine to resolve easily. While sometimes this is the case, sometimes the infraction is more severe, and while it is still a traffic violation, these can be quite serious, leading to license suspension and even revocation if the offense or offenses merit it. Enlisting an experienced attorney to help you defend against a traffic violation can save you time and trouble in the long run.

Many Different Kinds

Because the term ‘traffic violation’ can encompass so many things in Connecticut, it can be overwhelming to someone who has been charged with one, and it can be confusing to try and differentiate the charges which can be paid off with a fine from those that are much more serious. Also, some traffic violations may also be chargeable under criminal law as well as civil law, which means that even if you are found not liable under civil law, you might still be found guilty in criminal court, especially if you are deemed to have acted recklessly or with malice.

Something that also must be kept in mind is that even small infractions can result in points being added to your driver’s license, and points add up. Connecticut sends a warning letter to everyone who accumulates more than six points at any one time, but if you acquire more than ten, your license will be suspended for 30 days. If you are detained for a moving violation during that suspension period, or if your point total goes over ten at any time in the next five years afterward, your license will be suspended again until you get your point total below ten.

Were you pulled over for speeding? Did you get a ticket for rolling through a stop sign? Maybe you received a traffic ticket but do not think you deserved it. While very few drivers actually contest traffic tickets in court, it is an option. Here are a few frequently asked questions about fighting a traffic ticket in Connecticut:

Q: How do I plead not guilty to the alleged traffic violation?

A: There are three ways to plead not guilty. You can plead not guilty via a web portal, by phone or by mail. An experienced attorney can walk you through these options and make sure you enter the plea correctly.