Too Many Points On Your License?

pointsWhen to call a Long Island traffic Attorney for help?

Most drivers will be ticketed for a traffic offense at some point during their lives. Each offense carries points that are applied to the driver’s record upon. If a driver accumulates several repeat convictions during a short time period, and their total driving record points exceed a certain number, their driver’s license may be suspended.

In New York, a driver’s license may be suspended if a driver has accumulated 11 or more points on their driving record during an 18-month period. After the time period has elapsed, the points do not count against the total for license suspension but do not go away completely.

The number of points added to a driving record depends on the severity of an offense. For example, failing to obey a traffic sign or fleeing the scene of accident involving property damage are 3-point violations. Texting while driving is a 5-point violation, and speeding over 40 mph is an 11-point violation.

Points do not go into effect until the driver receives a conviction for the offense, but for the 18-month calculation purposes, the date of the offense is what counts. A Long Island traffic attorney can help drivers avoid having their license suspended by getting some cases dismissed or obtaining a not guilty verdict at trial.

If the state has plenty of evidence to prove the offense charged, an attorney may be able to reduce the number of points added to the defendant’s driving record by negotiating some offenses down to a lesser offense. An attorney may also be able to negotiate a deal with the prosecutor where a defendant is allowed to take a driving safety course in exchange for points being subtracted from their driving record.

If you have been given a ticket for a traffic violation, contact a Long Island traffic lawyer at Sharifov & Associates, PLLC for more information about how you can avoid facing serious consequences such as fines, jail time and license suspension.