Traffic Violations Attorney in York, Pennsylvania

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t received at least one traffic violation in their lives. Typically, these are handled by the individual either by paying a fine or contesting it in court. However, there are still facts that everyone should know about the different types of charges you can face and how best to go about fighting a traffic violation. 

To learn more about this or to speak with a criminal defense attorney about concerns over accumulated tickets, call us today. At Korey Leslie, Attorney-At-Law, LLC, we can help those throughout Pennsylvania, including York, Lancaster, Harrisburg, and Camp Hill.  

Traffic Violations  

Getting a ticket for a traffic violation can occur for a number of reasons, but will always be due to a violation of a law governing traffic in the state of Pennsylvania. This ranges from rolling through a stop sign to speeding, to not paying your parking meter, to other offenses. Most traffic violations are considered minor infractions, but they can still result in fines or harsher penalties.  

Moving Violations vs. Non-Moving Violations   

Traffic violations are separated into one of two categories: a moving violation and a non-moving violation. As the names imply, the former category is for infractions while your vehicle is in motion and the latter is when your vehicle is not being operated or violations that have nothing to do with the movement of your car. Common moving violations include speeding, failing to yield, changing lanes without using your turn signal, or running a red light. Non-moving violations include having a broken taillight, emitting too much exhaust, or parking in front of a fire hydrant or in a red zone.    

Understanding the Point System  

Pennsylvania traffic violations are based on a point system, and it’s essential to understand how this works. The more points you have on your license, the higher your fines and penalties will be. Basically, the system works by adding a predetermined amount of points to a driver’s license for traffic violations.

For example, failing to stop at a red light adds three points to your record, and exceeding the speed limit by over 16 miles results in four points. As your point total increases, so do the penalties, which is why it’s important to hire an attorney and fight the violation.  

Traffic Violation Fines & Penalties  

Traffic violation fines and penalties will vary depending on the severity of the offense. In Pennsylvania, the penalties typically increase for every six points you incur. After your first six points, you’ll be required to take an exam proving you know the rules of the road. The second six points could result in a license suspension of 15 days or having to take a driver education class. After the third accumulation of six points, your license will be suspended until you attend a hearing in court. 

Fighting a Traffic Violation  

If you’re pulled over for a traffic violation, you can ask questions of the officer to better understand the offense, but you should always be calm and polite. If you do show up to court, you can first start by disputing what the officer observed. This could help if the officer was especially far away from you at the time, or if there was poor visibility due to weather.

You can also try disputing the evidence. For instance, if you were pulled over for speeding, but the officer wasn’t using a radar gun, you may be able to get out of the ticket. Another option is called “mistake of fact” which essentially means you made an honest, genuine mistake due to conditions outside of your control. Lastly, you may try to show that your action was justified if you were trying to avoid greater harm. For example, maybe you swerved into another person’s lane to avoid hitting a pedestrian.