Tampa Traffic Offense Lawyer
Traffic tickets are no fun. If your first thought is just to pay the ticket and move on, chances are you are only thinking about the fine itself and not about all the other negative consequences that can flow from a traffic ticket. Every citation for a moving violation puts points on your driver’s license. Accumulate too many points, and your license gets suspended. Lose your license, and you could lose your way to get to work, school, shopping, chauffeur your kids to their activities, etc. You could even lose your job if it is one that requires you to maintain an active driver’s license or clean driving record. Also, in addition to paying fines and losing your license (and possibly going to jail), driver’s license reinstatement fees are hefty, and insurance rates after a suspended license go through the roof. As if all that wasn’t bad enough, having traffic offenses on your record enhances the penalties for any later charges that might come your way.
In other words, traffic citations are something to be taken seriously and to fight in appropriate situations. Tampa traffic violation lawyer Bryant Scriven understands the implications of traffic offenses on your pocketbook, your time, your family and your freedom. If you’ve been charged with a serious traffic violation in Tampa, take a moment to call Scriven Law, P.A., for advice from a qualified and experienced Tampa traffic offenses defense lawyer.
Can I Lose My License Over a Speeding Ticket?
Every traffic citation puts points on your driver’s license. If you rack up too many points within a specific period, your driver’s license will be suspended. For example, here are a few of the more common traffic citations and the points involved:
- Reckless Driving (four points)
- Speeding (three to four points)
- Leaving the Scene of an Accident (six points)
- Violation of a Traffic Control Device (three to four points)
- Racing (first-degree misdemeanor)
If you acquire 12 points in a span of 12 months, your license will be suspended for 30 days. Points don’t disappear after 12 months, though; they stick around. If you wind up with 18 points in 18 months, you will lose your license for three months. And if you accumulate 24 points inside of 36 months, the state of Florida will revoke your license for one year.
Some traffic offenses do more than just put your license at risk. Hit-and-run, for instance, is a criminal offense that can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending upon the presence of only property damage versus injury or death caused to the occupants of the other vehicle. In a traffic accident resulting in death, fleeing the scene can be charged as a first-degree felony with potential penalties as high as 30 years in prison and $10,000 in monetary fines.
Is It Possible to Fight a Traffic Ticket?
The police have to have a good reason to stop you and pull you over. They must be able to articulate a reasonable suspicion that you were violating some traffic law. In addition, the state must be able to prove that you did in fact violate the law. You are entitled to challenge the government’s case against you and to have an attorney represent you. The burden is on the state to prove it’s case. If their case is weak, ill-prepared or insufficient, a skilled and experienced Tampa criminal defense attorney can keep you from being unfairly punished.
Suspended Licenses
Driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license is a criminal offense in Florida, meaning you could potentially serve jail time if convicted, in addition to being saddled with a criminal record. While it is never a good idea to take a traffic violation lightly, this is especially true in cases involving criminal offenses, such as driving on a suspended license.
Accumulating too many points is only one way a driver’s license can be suspended in Florida. A DUI arrest leads to an automatic six-month suspension for a first offense. This administrative license suspension happens whether you are found guilty of DUI or not, and you only have ten days from the date of arrest to challenge the suspension. Additionally, Florida law requires a license suspension after any conviction for possession or sale of a controlled substance or drug trafficking. This suspension lasts six months or until the person completes a drug treatment program, if treatment was ordered by the court.
After three charges of driving with a suspended license, you can be dubbed a Habitual Traffic Offender and lose your license for five years. Call our office right away if you find yourself in this situation. We may be able to help you get your license back!
Don’t Hesitate to Call Scriven Law for Advice After a Traffic Citation in Tampa
At Scriven Law, P.A., we are happy to offer a free consultation where we can learn about your case and let you know your options and how we can help. You don’t have anything to lose by calling our office, and you might find yourself much better off for taking the time to call. If you’ve been hit with a serious traffic offense in Tampa, call Scriven Law, P.A., at 813-226-8522 to review your situation with a dedicated and effective Tampa traffic citation lawyer.
