Why fight a traffic ticket?

You’re a busy person, so getting a speeding ticket is just an annoyance. So – write the check, mail it in, and be done with it, right? That’s what nine out of ten people cited for moving violations do.

Wrong. Even if you can afford the ticket, there are reasons to consider fighting it.

The nine of ten who shrug and write the check wind up paying more, and suffering worse consequences. Principally:

• Your chances of having the ticket dismissed are very good. There are often technical errors in the ticket. You may not notice these errors, but good lawyers see them right away.
• If there are no mistakes in the ticketing, the charge against you will not be dismissed. But the ticket can still be plea-bargained, resulting in a reduced fine.
• You may avoid having points tacked onto your driving record. Points lead to license suspension.
• You may be spared having to go to traffic school.
• If alcohol or drugs played a role in the ticket, pleading guilty will put you in hot legal water. Likewise, if you were using a cell phone or texting when the violation occurred.
• Tickets often trigger an increase in your insurance premium. Over time that expenditure will dwarf the cost of the ticket itself. The state can levy surcharge fees later, if you are a repeat offender. These fees often exceed the cost of the initial ticket.
• Pleading guilty will become public information. In some cases it causes people their jobs, or their college acceptance.

In short, you must realize that getting a ticket is a bigger deal than it used to be. The money municipalities and counties rake in from tickets is critical to their revenue. You received a ticket in part because local government needs the money.

The process has been automated by cameras that spot you running a red, or speed guns that clock you driving too fast.

Level the playing field by working with a Rochester-area lawyer who knows the law and knows how to minimize the pain the law can administer.

Call the Law Office of James L. Riotto — 866-772-2122.