Fighting Against Deceivingly Serious Traffic Offenses
Most people get upset about receiving a speeding ticket or other moving violation. Paying the fine may sting for a while, but it just doesn’t seem worthwhile to fight city hall.
That may be fine if you don’t have any tickets already on your record or feel confident you won’t get another moving violation in the next three to five years. But for many of us, getting a ticket can result in serious financial trouble and may even lead to losing our driver’s license.
Traffic ticket attorney Danielle O’Halloran leads the traffic violation and driver’s license offenses division at the criminal defense law offices of Ringsmuth, Day & O’Halloran in Fort Myers. She is a former assistant state attorney who has prosecuted hundreds of serious traffic citations and cases involving serious traffic violations, including driving while license suspended.
Many times, an arrest resulting from a criminal traffic offense will also carry accompanying traffic citations. Resolving your criminal charge does not eliminate your traffic citation. The traffic violation must be handled separately.
If you don’t know whether to fight your traffic violation, call 800-416-1434 to schedule a consultation with Ms. O’Halloran. She will explain the consequences of simply paying your traffic ticket, including:
• Points against your driving record: Just paying the fine is the same as pleading guilty to the offense and it goes on your record. Like most states, Florida uses a point system. A single speeding ticket will generally result in four points against your record. A second ticket within six months can result in remedial driver education and safety classes. Twelve points in a year can result in a driver’s license suspension.
• Higher insurance rates: Depending on your auto insurance provider, a single speeding ticket can result in higher premiums. If you are considering changing insurance carriers, you may have difficulty finding a company that won’t treat you as a higher risk.
• Habitual offender: If you get multiple tickets on your record within a certain period of time, you may be considered a habitual offender and face higher license plate registration fees.
Driver’s License Defense
We can also help you with issues related to driver’s license suspensions. Under Florida law, a driver’s license is considered a privilege, not a right.
People can lose their licenses because of DUI, drug offenses, delinquent child support payments and other criminal offenses that may not be related to traffic violations. Having your driver’s license suspended, however, does not necessarily mean you cannot drive. The Department of Motor Vehicles allows administrative hearings to appeal for a provisional license for work, medical appointments and other specific reasons.
If you need help getting a temporary restricted permit, call us. When your license is suspended, the DMV will notify you. It doesn’t matter whether you actually received the notice. The DMV only needs to show that the notice was mailed.
Learn How We Can Assist With Your Case
Call us at 239-332-2500 or contact our offices in Fort Myers by email to discuss your traffic violation with our lawyers. We offer a free initial consultation and an honest appraisal of your circumstances. If we do not think you have a good chance of successfully fighting your ticket or appealing your driver’s license suspension, we will tell you so honestly.
