When people think of legal violations, they may consider assault charges, theft, drunk driving, drug crimes and other allegations. However, people can face significant criminal, personal and financial challenges if they are accused of committing traffic offenses.
Some of these are relatively mild but still should be addressed.
One example is distracted driving. Others, like reckless driving are more serious. Still others can lead to major problems. If a person flees from an attempted law enforcement stop, the charges can rise for a low-level traffic violation and a fine to far more severe implications such as jail time.
Be aware of traffic offenses and their possible ramifications
Motor vehicle violations might not seem that problematic, but the long-term obstacles can be vast. Even jail time is possible in certain situations. Reckless driving encompasses several behaviors that might lead to a traffic stop and citations. If the person is operating a vehicle in the state, they are expected to show proper caution, drive at a reasonable speed based on the speed limit and not put others at risk.
For a first offense reckless driving, being found guilty could lead to jail time for six months and/or a fine of $1,000. Those who have a prior incident of reckless driving on their record can be jailed for up to a year or fined as much as $2,000. They can also receive both penalties. Their driver’s license will be suspended.
When a driver sees a law enforcement vehicle in their rearview mirror, its overhead lights are activated, and a siren indicates they should pull over, they might make the mistake of trying to flee. This can result in major problems if they are convicted for fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer.
A willful attempt to do this and the circumstances of the flight attempt will dictate the type of consequences they will face if they are convicted. The speed at which they were traveling during the alleged flight is a key part of the case. If they were going beyond 30 mph over the posted speed limit, it is considered flight from an officer.
Fleeing law enforcement at high speed can also spark an accident in which property is damaged or, worse, people are injured or killed. Leaving the state when fleeing is also a potential outcome of a police chase. These acts will result in felony charges. A guilty verdict or plea could warrant a driver’s license suspension for one to three years.
Do not take any traffic offense lightly
There is a natural expectation that traffic offenses will not create long-term problems. However, in addition to the driver’s license suspension, it can also spark increased insurance costs and leave a person who needs their driver’s license to work wondering how they will retain their job jeopardizing their ability to make ends meet.
Those who believe it is better to just pay the fine need to understand the negative connotations that can harm them and damage their future personally, financially and professionally.
Criminal defense strategies can address the charges, analyze the details and the case and try to forge a workable solution to limit or avoid the damage to a person’s life and reputation.