New York Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
According to a study by Edmonds.com, in which they polled three police agencies, there are several traffic violations which police departments specifically look to issue tickets for. So if you are trying to avoid being pulled over on a traffic infraction, this article is for you.
Speeding
The police are always focused on stopping drivers who are speeding due to the safety of the drivers, their passengers, and the occupants of other cars on the road. According to Edmonds, for every one hundred additional speeding tickets issued per month, there are 14.3 fewer accidents and 5.6 fewer injuries. Fines are frequently heavy on speeding infractions, particularly in school zones, in active construction areas and on infractions for more than 20 miles per hour over the speed limit. Annually, thirty four million tickets are issued for excessive speed, so it would be wise to slow down. In New York, under the Vehicle & Traffic Law, drivers who are convicted of going between 1 and 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit receive 3 points on their license, and for drivers driving between 11 and 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, that is a four point ticket. Driving 21-30 m.p.h. over the limit is a 6 point infraction, and 31-40 over is an 8 point infraction. Keep in mind that any driver with 11 points on their license will have their license suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving includes driving on a hand held cell phone, texting while driving, sending or receiving emails while driving, personal grooming while driving, drowsy driving and attending to young children in the back seat. Texting while driving is obviously a huge societal problem, but it appears to be most significant among younger drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 40% of teens admit that they were in a car being operated by a driver either texting or using a smart phone. A conviction or plea of guilty to texting while driving, sending or receiving emails while driving or using a hand held cell phone will also lead to 3 points on your driver’s license.
Following Too Closely and Unsafe Lane Changes
The Edmonds study found that these two traffic infractions were of equal importance to police departments than many other traffic violations. However, under the New York State Vehicle & Traffic Law, an operator convicted of following too closely receives 4 points on their license, and an unsafe lane change conviction leads to 3 points on their driver’s license. Unsafe lane changes that the police look for, according to Edmonds, include cutting another driver off, veering into another lane, and moving into another lane without looking.
Equipment Violations
Equipment violations are easy tickets for officers to issue because there is no judgment involved. Younger drivers should be aware that excessive window tint is an obvious violation that the police are looking for and will not overlook. From an officer’s perspective, too much window tint creates a safety issue in that the officer cannot see what is happening inside the vehicle. Other equipment violations which are easy marks are broken tail lights, broken windshields and expired inspection stickers.
If you are charged with a traffic infraction or DWI, contact the Westchester County Traffic Ticket Lawyers at the White Plains, NY Law Office of Mark A. Siesel toll free at (914) 428-7386 or online for a free consultation with an experienced attorney to discuss your case in detail and your legal options.