Callahan & Robinson, P.C.

01/31/2022

Why Did I Receive A New York Traffic Ticket?

New York has undertaken a major campaign in the enforcement of various traffic violations over the past few years. It is a way for the city to increase its budget and make needed repairs happen to roads and bridges. BUT! That means that we as drivers are being targeted more and more for minor offenses which may have gone un-ticketed in the past. So if you’ve received a ticket, either in person by a police officer or via the mail, you may be asking yourself, “why did I receive a New York traffic ticket?”

Here we’ll look at the major reasons that people get traffic violations and tickets here in New York City.

1. Speeding – this is one of the more obvious New York traffic tickets and if you go more 5mph or more over the speed limit you are at risk of receiving a ticket. More and more areas of the city are now using speed traps on traffic lights and cameras around city streets to catch people speeding. If you’re caught speeding you will receive a ticket one way or another.

2. Failing To Yield To a Vehicle or Pedestrian – with all of the pedestrians and people in the city this one is more common than you think. If you fail to yield on the road you can be ticketed but more commonly is if you fail to yield to pedestrians.

3. Cell Phone Use & Texting While Driving – this is a big no-no but happens quite a bit. Even checking your Waze map can warrant a ticket and this one comes with heavy penalties. Not only the time of receiving the ticket but the heavy fines, court appearances and not to mention the points on your license if you receive a guilty verdict for your New York traffic ticket.

4. Failure to Signal & Improper Turn – changing lanes and making turns is something you will do when driving in New York. But because of all these turns, there is a greater tendency to not signal on every one of them. Remember that New York is trying to increase its ticketing revenue and that means ticketing for everything including a non-signal when turning.

5. Disobeying Traffic Control Device – this means running a red light, blowing a stop sign, disregarding a one-way sign and other things like this. With the many new traffic light cameras that have been and are being installed throughout the city, this is becoming more and more common. You may receive a red light New York traffic ticket in person or via the mail.

6. Reckless Driving – you’ll see some people who just drive like maniacs. Remember that the crazier you drive the more likely you are to cause an accident that will bring you and many others on the road to a standstill let alone risk of harm. But this is one that the police take very seriously because of the risk of causing an accident and slowing down overall traffic. Things like excessive speeding and dangerous lane changes are just some of the ways to violate in a reckless way. These New York traffic tickets carry heavy penalties including major fines and lots of points on your license with a guilty verdict.

7. Operating Without A License/Suspended License – this not only counts as a misdemeanor but also comes with heavy fines and points. Anyone driving with a suspended license or without a license faces criminal charges on top of the traffic violations and may be arrested.

8. Operating Without Insurance – this too can carry criminal penalties on top of the fines and points associated with it. Having insurance when you are driving is something that is required in all states so be sure you’re up to date to avoid penalties and points.

9. DWI/DUI/DWAI – these are some of the most serious New York traffic tickets and violations you can receive. Not only do they carry criminal offenses but major fines and points to your license. This can be the most difficult ticket a person can receive as it carries criminal penalties on top of the financial burdens. It is unsafe and the law will not hesitate to throw the book at you.

10. Commercial Drivers License for Trucks & Taxis – Operating commercially with the wrong type of license is also grounds for ticketing in New York. If you are making deliveries in a truck or are operating a taxi, you need to have the right licenses. This is similar to driving without a license and can carry criminal penalties as well as points on your license and fines.

The list above is just some of the ways in which motorists can receive New York traffic tickets. If you have received one of these tickets either in person or via the mail you must reply. You can plead guilty and risk paying huge fines and points on your license or you can plead not guilty. Many folks will not be able to attend their hearings, either because they are working or because they are from out of town, and this is when hiring a New York traffic defense attorney makes a huge difference.

They know the ins and out of New York traffic law and where you have wiggle room. Do not just plead guilty to any offense and be sure to get a qualified traffic defense team to assist in making things painless. Too many points on your license can mean a loss of your license and major increases in the cost of your car insurance. That is something we all want to avoid at all costs.

Fight Your Ticket. Save Money

Hiring the Callahan & Robinson Law firm will help you fight your ticket and save you money in fines and insurance.

01/26/2022

Arrested For Drinking & Driving?

DWI/DUI and other alcohol-related offenses are some of the most serious traffic crimes that a driver can be charged with.

If you are convicted of a DWI/DUI crime in any other state including, New York, the state can have your license suspended for at a minimum of 90 days on top of any fines and penalties that apply to the state in question.

Talk to A Traffic Ticket Attorney Today. Call now for your FREE consultation.

📞 Us @ (888) 345-1202

Learn more at - https://callahanandrobinson.com/dwi-tickets/

01/23/2022

NYC Traffic Tickets: 5 Things To Know

No matter if you are visiting New York City on a family vacation or driving for your daily commute to work, falling victim to a NYC traffic ticket is as common as corner convenience stores here in New York. Over the past several years the finance department for the City of New York (along with NYPD) has been aggressive in writing more tickets than in past years. With hundreds of locations with newly installed photo speed traps, red-light cameras, and ticketing police officers on the beat it’s no wonder we’ve seen a major uptick in the number of traffic tickets issued daily.

“So, what do you need to know regarding your NYC Traffic Ticket?”

1. Receiving A New York Traffic Ticket

You’ll initially have 2 immediate choices after you receive your ticket. First is, of course, to plead guilty and pay the fine, but many of these tickets come with points to your license which can spell a whole heap of problems. Points on your license can raise your insurance premiums, make it harder to get and keep good insurance, and if you have enough violation points accumulated have your license suspended. For most of us, this is not an option. Your second choice is to plead not guilty and get a hearing date scheduled. You can do this via mail by filling out the information on the back of the ticket and mailing it in to the address listed within 15 days of receiving the ticket, or you can do it online (this is recommended).

2. Schedule A hearing

When you plead not guilty and schedule a hearing you will be given one of the specific Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) offices throughout the city. Typically the office of your hearing will be the one closest to the violation (but not always). On the day of your hearing, the Bureau’s Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will oversee the case and review the documents in order to make a determination. If you’re lucky or have various proofs of innocence you’ll receive a “not-guilty” verdict and the case will be dismissed completely. More than likely though is that following the police officer’s testimony and evidence the ALJ returns with a “guilty” verdict and that means points on your license, a fine, and penalties associated with the court and city.

3. Representation – Self vs. Attorney

At your NYC traffic violation hearing, you also have two choices regarding representation. You can represent yourself and bring your own evidence, or you can have a New York traffic defense attorney handle your case. For most folks who have received a ticket who are from out of state, returning to New York City at some date several weeks or months down the road for a single hearing may not be possible. Also, if you have multiple points on your license and are at risk of a suspension, you should seriously consider hiring an NYC traffic defense law firm. Everyone knows that the increase in ticketing is simply a way for the city to increase its revenue, but that does little as a defense. Knowing the ins and outs of the very complicated NYC traffic law and its variations makes a world of difference when it comes to getting tickets reduced with a plea deal or removed entirely.

4. Postponing A TVB Hearing In NYC

Typically any individual traffic case is allowed 2 adjournments of a scheduled traffic hearing. The first one is almost always authorized with little inquiries as to why needing a second adjournment however will bring up questions as to why and maybe denied without an attorney’s assistance. Postponing is an option to be utilized if you are away or have prior engagements and need the date to be moved but it typically won’t help your case. You can postpone it online for the first adjournment and then any other adjournment must be requested in person, often with a $40 refundable bond attached to it.

5. Why New York Traffic Ticket Defense Attorneys Can Help

New York City traffic law is convoluted, opaque, and downright complicated. It has been an ever-increasing source of financial capital for the city and that means facing off against the entire system and their budgeting coffers. Many tickets are given to visitors of the city who live out of state far away as well. Because of this working with an NYC traffic ticket attorney can work for a number of reasons. Firstly, they know the judges and ALJ’s of each TVB hearing location. Secondly, they know the traffic law in and out and know where there is room to maneuver (looking for pleas to reduce or remove points and fines). Thirdly, they can operate for you so that you don’t have to physically come to the hearing if you work or are out of state. Fourthly, winning or getting a case reduced without an attorney is very uncommon. Meaning that cases defended with a traffic attorney have a far great success rate than self-representation to a tune of nearly 10 times.

This is a shortlist of the process you have to defend and represent yourself after receiving an NYC Traffic Ticket. We know that its a way for the city to make money and we know that there have been more tickets given each and every year. That means protecting yourself and protecting yourself as a private citizen when the system aims to make a quick buck. Do yourself a favor, save the time, save the headache, and save your license by hiring a qualified NYC Traffic Ticket Attorney today. Call for a free no-obligation consultation and get moving towards a reduction or elimination of your traffic violation right away. 1-888-345-1202

If you have more questions, please check out our New York City traffic ticket FAQ

Fight Your Ticket. Save Money

Hiring the Callahan & Robinson Law firm will help you fight your ticket and save you money in fines and insurance.