Posted by duijim in on June 15, 2018
How to Fight Your Traffic Ticket
Each year, thousands of Georgia drivers are stopped and issued traffic citations for a variety of offenses. Traffic citations can be issued for:
- Driving without a license or with an expired license;
- Failure to maintain lane;
- Driving without a seatbelt;
- Aggressive driving;
- Operating a vehicle with expired tags;
- Following too closely;
- Illegally passing, stopping on a roadway, or passing an emergency vehicle;
- Driving without headlights;
- Speeding;
- And more.
Georgia traffic laws have changed, increasing many fines and adding an additional $200 fine for any “super speeder” tickets. These fine increases and associated additional surcharges have generated millions in revenue for the state of Georgia, while placing drivers at risk of losing their driver’s licenses and causing significant financial hardships. One way to potentially avoid these serious repercussions is to utilize the following tips for fighting traffic tickets.
Be Respectful
Your battle often starts the moment you are stopped and might not end until after your court date. It is important to stay calm and respectful throughout the entire process. Do not argue with the officer who pulls you over and comply with requests to sign the citation, since your signature is not an admission of guilt.
When you go to the court, be respectful and polite to clerks, prosecutors, judges, and everyone with whom you interact. Never forget, the people trying and hearing your case pay close attention to how you behave.
Do Not Immediately Pay
It is our first instinct to pay any traffic ticket that we receive in order to avoid going to court. Before you pay, remember that paying the ticket could be viewed as an admission of guilt, especially if you do plan to attend your court date and argue with the ticket.
Once you have paid, you will have a difficult time convincing the judge or prosecutor that you were not guilty of the offense named in the ticket, especially if the officer who gave you the citation is at the hearing.
Get Organized
The best way to fight any traffic citation is by presenting evidence that proves your version of events is accurate. Organizing information and evidence increases your chances of presenting a case that leads to your ticket being dismissed.
Information that could help you includes pictures or videos of weather conditions, radar readings if you were accused of speeding, your valid driver’s license, registration, or insurance policy if they were previously unavailable when requested during your traffic stop, and receipts from a mechanic if you recently had repairs completed on your vehicle.
Talk to an Attorney
Never take any citation for granted and never hesitate to contact an attorney. A skilled traffic ticket attorney can provide a professional opinion on your case and offer legal representation when needed. The legal team Yeargan & Kert are here to give you the legal advice you deserve.
We can work on your behalf to help you avoid large fines, the loss of your driving privileges, and the accumulation of points on your driver’s license that could cause legal problems in the future. Contact us to schedule a consultation at one of our Atlanta, Georgia offices today.