Traffic Violations
-Steven Wright-
"They say the universe is expanding. That should help with the traffic."
DAMAGE CONTROL
Accidents happen
Traffic citations and tickets can have serious consequences including increased insurance premiums, points on your drivers license, drivers license suspensions, and traveling for mandatory Court appearances. Many traffic violations in Arkansas, including simply speeding more than 15 miles per hour over the limit, are misdemeanors and can carry jail time!
I have a ton of experience handling every sort of traffic violation in nearly every District Court in Arkansas in a town you can name. I also have plenty of experience in towns you would not know existed if you did not have a ticket with their name on it. From simple speeding to reckless driving and racing on the highway- I have done it all and I have achieved great success and outcomes for my clients.
Do not think that it is cheaper to just pay the fine- If the long term consequences for increased monthly insurance payments is not enough for you- the judge may require you to attend weekend
defensive driving school, perform community service, suspend your driver’s license, or even serve time in jail. Do not go to court without the protection of a good criminal defense attorney. Anything worth doing is worth doing right the first time- call me today and lets start solving your problems.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAFFIC CASES
FAQ
Why should I pay you instead of just paying the cheap fine?
Believe it or not, hiring me will most likely save you money. Here is an example: Say the cost of paying the ticket is $300. Hiring me is $500. It looks cheaper to just pay the ticket than to pay me to fight it. What you are not taking into account is the cost of the increase in your monthly car insurance rates over the next three years. Say your insurance goes up $50 per month because you end up with a ticket on your record. Well $50 X 12 month in a year X 3 years is $1800 over the next three years. That is if it only goes up $50 per month, if you (or your child on your insurance) is under 25 years old you might be looking at an increase of over $100 per month- or $3600 over the next three years in increased insurance premiums. Hiring me to fight for your ticket can be a potential investment in your future.
Will I have to go to court?
Many times, I am able to save my clients from having to appear, even when it is “mandatory.” However, every court and case is different and I can only answer that on a case by case basis. Call me a consultation and we will discuss seeing if we can save you a trip.
I drive for work, I drive a company vehicle, or I am on the company auto insurance, how
will this ticket affect me?
Depending on your employer, you might lose your ability to drive a company vehicle, you might get transferred to a position that does not require driving- if you’re lucky, or you might lose your job outright. Many corporations have policies against allowing drivers that get tickets to be on their insurance because of the increased cost and the potential liability if you were to cause an accident in the future.
The best thing to do is to call me and see if we can keep it off your record- what they don’t know won’t hurt them right. Or… If you’re like me and you prefer to be upfront with people- we can be up front with your employer. But lets do it with a game plan about how we are going to fix this so you can keep your job, company vehicle, and livelihood. I have spoken to and written many letters to my client’s employers to help them keep their jobs. I would be happy to do the same for you.
They have me dead to rights, how can you help?
Many times, I can still get you driving probation, a pass to dismiss, or find other ways to keep it off your record even if you’re guilty as sin. There are things I can do to help convince the prosecutor and the judge to keep it off your record even when you’re guilty but it requires a proactive approach and hiring me to help you.
I had a wreck, my insurance company already knows, and my premiums are going up, I
am already screwed right? Five reasons you should still hire me and fight it:
YOUR insurance company knows and will increase your premiums. But if we keep YOUR driving record clean and free from points- you can shop your insurance with a clean driving record and avoid some if not all of those increased premiums. After all a different insurance company has no need to recoup that other insurance company's loss.
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The points on your license. Depending on what the violation was it can put anywhere from 1 to 8 points on your license per violation that can stick for 3 years or more. In Arkansas after you accumulate 14 or more points you will get a letter from driver control for a hearing about suspending your license.
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I can still probably get the charges or fines reduced. Less points on your license and less money out of your pocket are always good things.
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Liability. There are many times police officers and insurance companies get the which party is liable wrong, hold the wrong person at fault, or hold a party more responsible than they should be. Getting a not guilty, getting the charges dismissed, and even getting the charges reduced can give you a leg to stand on to fight liability both personally and at the insurance level.
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Future interactions with police. I have all to often seen a persons driving history, which has nothing to do with a future incident, sway a police officer one way or another. Whether that is making a decision to give you a warning or write a ticket, to hold you at fault or the other party at fault in a future accident, and whether to write you one ticket or nine. It makes a difference, lets keep your record clean going forward.