Potential Legal Consequences for Traffic Violations [infographic]

Laws exist to protect the public good–criminal laws are designed to discourage crime, food and drug regulations are designed to protect us from contamination and illness, and traffic laws are designed to keep us safe on the road. Because everyone uses the roads, reckless drivers represent a significant risk to public safety, and the legal penalties for traffic violations are intended to be serious enough to discourage this behavior. In this article, our team at GPS Law Group will go over some of the legal consequences for traffic violations to help you remember to practice safe driving.

• Fines – One of the most common traffic violations is driving above the speed limit, for which the typical penalty is a speeding ticket, requiring you to pay a fine. Depending on your previous driving record and the severity of the offense, other penalties may be involved.
• Insurance points – Another possible consequence of a traffic violation is having points added to your driver’s license. Insurance companies use these points to calculate the level of risk you present and having more points on your license is likely to make your insurance costs go up.
• Suspension of license – Some traffic violations, such as DUIs, are likely to result in your driver’s license being suspended for a certain period of time, typically six months to a year.
• Jail time – Some traffic violations are serious enough to warrant jail time. For example, reckless driving is a Class 2 misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to 90 days jail.

Of course, it is possible to challenge traffic violation charges and reduce your sentence with the help of a reliable lawyer. If you find yourself facing traffic law charges, we encourage you to give us a call.