Traffic Violations Have an Award-Winning Team on Your Side

Westchester County Traffic Ticket Lawyers

Experienced Traffic Ticket Defense - (914) 840-5104

Proto, Sachs & Brown, LLP offers the award-winning, trial-tested defense you need, whether you have been cited for a traffic violation, reckless driving, or a hit & run offense. Our attorneys have more than 65 years of combined experience with which to challenge our client's traffic ticket violation charges. We provide aggressive representation to get the best possible result for our clients. Our experience and quality representation are the hallmarks of the law firm. You case will get all the attention that it deserves and you will have a feeling that everything is under control because our attorneys are on your side and working for you.

Why Should You Hire Our Traffic Violation Attorneys?

  • 1,000s of criminal cases skillfully handled
  • Former prosecutors backed by insider knowledge to help you
  • Chosen for New York Super Lawyers® (top 5% of attorneys in state)
  • Free case review and flexible appointment times offered

We are NOT a "traffic ticket mill" type law office. Unlike others, we don't focus on high volume and low quality of work. We are professional, experienced attorneys dedicated to winning your case. Our experience allows us to properly analyze your case and provide you with a legal strategy to aggressively defend the traffic ticket. Each client is treated as an individual and each case receives its own individual assessment. We regularly appear in all Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess and Orange County local courts and in the Manhattan, Bronx and Queens, Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB). Whatever the details of your case, we are ready to fight for your rights.

Call (914) 840-5104 or email us today to discover your defense options in a free consultation!

Fighting Your New York State Traffic Ticket

We recommend fighting all New York State traffic tickets. If you are found guilty there can be several consequences beyond a simple fine.

The consequences can include:

  • Fines and State mandatory surcharges - due to the court. In order for New York State to balance its budget fines, surcharges have been increasing almost on a yearly basis. Fines and surcharges can reach into the thousands of dollars. This alone justifies the expense of a traffic ticket attorney.
  • Points - will attach to your driver's license. Points can even be assessed to out of state drivers and in some instances "negative units" will apply to your driver's license with DMV.
  • License Suspension - is also a concern either due to a specific violation or an accumulation of points. Convictions can even lead to a suspension of your driver's license or if you are not licensed in New York, a suspension of your "privilege" to drive in New York State.
  • License Revocation - is a severe consequence. In New York certain violations can lead to a full revocation of your license and force you to reapply for a driver's license from the very beginning.
  • DMV Driver Assessments - are additional surcharges based upon point accumulation over time. These assessments can be so high the DMV offers a "payment plan" to spread the assessment out over a number of years.
  • Unemployment - consequences can result. Many of our client's drive for a living, and a clean license is vital to continued employment or seeking new employment,
  • Insurance premiums - can increase with any conviction and be subject to higher insurance rates.

At Proto, Sachs & Brown, LLP our goal is to eliminate or minimize the potential damage caused by traffic violation convictions. Our attorneys aggressively defend each traffic ticket to protect your driver's license.

Traffic Violations Information - Why You Shouldn't Plead Guilty!

Traffic tickets can result in serious consequences to your driver’s license and insurance even if you do not live in New York State. Simply entering a guilty plea without defending your traffic ticket is never advisable.

A guilty plea will result in court sanctions, sanctions from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicle and from your personal automobile insurance. In addition, if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, an injured party may use the fact you entered a guilty plea to a traffic infraction as proof that you were at fault for the accident in any personal injury lawsuit.

If You Receive a Traffic Ticket in Westchester County:

Contact our office immediately. The back of your ticket contains information on how to answer the ticket but our attorney can do all the legal work for you. A traffic ticket must be responded to prevent a suspension of your driver’s license or driving privileges.

Keep scrolling to learn more about:

  • Court dates
  • Driver responsibility assessment
  • Points on your license
  • Alcohol / drug test refusal
  • Insurance rates
  • License suspension
  • Our legal fees & goals

1. Court Dates You Must Respond To

The date on the bottom of your ticket is only the date that you need to respond to the Court or to the Traffic Violations Bureau. Once you hire us, our office will respond on your behalf. In most cases, you will NOT need to appear in Court. Our attorneys will have you sign an authorization allowing us to appear on your behalf and have the case dismissed, enter into a plea bargain, or take the case to trial. We understand your time is valuable. If you were to appear in court, it could last all day and even be adjourned to another date. Our office does not want you to have to waste days off from work, travel long distances, or obtain child care to appear in court.

Times That You Will Not Need to Appear in Court

In most cases you do not need to appear in court the day your case is scheduled. Our Westchester County traffic ticket attorneys can handle the entire matter without you having to take time off of work and/or school. We will send you a form that allows us to appear on your behalf and to prepare the defense. We will also have you send us a detailed description of how you received the tickets.

2. Driver Responsibility Assessment

If you receive six or more points in your driving record in the past 18 months, or if you are convicted of an alcohol/drug/chemical test refusal offense, you will fall under the DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment Program.

In addition to any fines, fees, penalties, or surcharges that you pay for a traffic conviction, you must pay the driver responsibility assessment. It does not matter if you hold no license or you have a license in another state: This assessment still applies.

3. Points on Your License

If you receive six points on your driving record during a period of 18 months, the annual assessment is $100.00. The minimum amount that you must pay each year is the annual assessment. The total assessment for the three years is $300.00. If you receive more than six points on your driver’s license during a period of 18 months, the annual assessment is $25.00 for each point more than the original six. The minimum amount you must pay is the assessment of $100.00 per year for three years.

4. Alcohol/Drug/Chemical Test Refusal Offense:

The annual assessment is $250.00 for three years totaling $750.00.

5. Insurance Rates

A major concern each client expresses is how any plea or conviction will affect insurance rates. Each insurance company has different polices regarding insurance rates. Generally, a no-point offense will not increase your insurance rates. No-point offenses are usually nonmoving violation, such as equipment violations. Further, there is at least one two-point offense that will not increase your insurance rates.

Insurance rates are always subject to an increase for a moving violations such as speeding, passing a school bus, reckless driving, following too close, leaving the scene of an accident, no seatbelt, failure to stop at a stop sign or red light, improper passing or lane use, child safety restraint, and failure to yield the right of way.

At Proto, Sachs & Brown, LLP our primary concern is protecting your rates and always take into consideration the insurance consequences.

6. Suspended License

If your license is suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles, it is important to consult one of our traffic lawyers and act quickly to restore your driving status. If you are found to be driving with a suspended license that is a crime (unclassified Misdemeanor) and you must appear in Criminal Court. Under VTL 511, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle the penalties for driving with a suspended license can range from a fine to probation or even jail.

If you are found guilty of VTL 511, the Department of Motor Vehicles will assess what it calls “Negative Units” to your driver’s license. Negative Units are similar to points but can result in a revocation of you license for an extended period of time.

Our Legal Fees

Our legal fees depend on a number of factors, but our rates are fair and competitive. We always charge a flat rate for our traffic legal services. The flat rate covers all legal work, including: phone conferences, meetings, all court appearances, motions, letters, and even a trial if it should be necessary. You will never have to deposit an additional fee.

Our Legal Strategy

The pages contained in our website each speak about our defense tactics, but in general our law firm strategy relies on obtaining the proper information from the client and challenging the prosecution's evidence. This ultimately incudes a balance of aggressive representation and skillful negotiations.

Our Promise to You

In furtherance of our dedication and commitment to our clients, if we are unable to successfully have your traffic tickets dismissed or obtain a reduction in points assessed against your driver's license, we will give you a full refund without exception. (This guarantee does not apply to the DMV traffic violations that are located within the five boroughs of NYC).

Our Goals

Although there can never be any guarantees in litigation, our goal is to protect your driver’s license and insurance rates. The public doesn’t know the devastating effect a ticket can have on your license, especially if you have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The Department of Motor Vehicle is always looking to collect fines and surcharges. Our experienced attorneys always aggressively defend every traffic ticket our office handles.

What Courts Do We Appear in to Defend Traffic Tickets?

Our law firm appears in all Courts located in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Manhattan, the Bronx & Queens. However, if you have a traffic ticket outside of this area, always feel free to contact us to discuss the case and how we might be able to help.

Our attorneys are experienced traffic lawyers. We regularly appear in Court and understand the dynamic between the public, police, and the courts. An attorney is not mandatory for a traffic ticket, however, we know the various legal arguments and the case law behind getting a traffic ticket dismissed. Also, if a plea bargain is entered into, an attorney can usually negotiate a better deal with fewer points assessed against your license as well as a lower fine. If you have been charged with or have received a traffic ticket, we are here to protect your rights and your driver's license.

FAQ

Q. Why fight traffic tickets?

A. To protect your driver's license and insurance rates. New York State maintains a lifetime driving history for all motorists . Moving violations and points will cause an increase in insurance rates. Also, as traffic ticket lawyers in Westchester County we are successful in either having cases dismissed or minimizing the negative impact of a traffic ticket.

Q. Where are traffic tickets fought

A. In New York City and Long Island the DMV has set up Traffic Violation Bureaus that specifically handle all traffic matters. Outside New York City and Long Island traffic tickets are handled by the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued. For example, Harrison, Port Chester, Greenburgh and Mamaroneck are the busiest jurisdiction in Westchester County. Those local justice courts are responsible for ticket in their jurisdictions.

Q. What traffic tickets give you points?

A. Any moving violation will give you points in New York State. Most moving violations are three points except for speeding those points will be based upon the amount over the speed limit and cell phone tickets are 5 points. If you do not have a New York driver's license points will be assessed against your privilege to drive in New York.

Q. Will traffic tickets raise my insurance rates?

A. Yes, depending on your insurance company, a conviction for a moving violation will raise your insurance rates typically at the time of the policy renewal. The more serious the violation, the higher the rate.

Q. What traffic violations are crimes?

A. DWI, driving with no insurance, driving with a suspended driver's license are the most common crimes under the Vehicle and Traffic Law. Most are noncriminal traffic infractions.

Q. How do you check your driver's license?

A. On the New York DMV website you can order your driver's abstract. This is a history of your driving record. The abstract will indicate if you have any open matters or if your driver's license is valid. If you are out of state you need to obtain a New York identification number before you request an abstract.

Q. Can traffic tickets turn into warrants?

A. Yes, if they are crimes under the Vehicle and Traffic Law such as a DWI offense. If a motorist does not respond to a ticket or go to court as required the court will have DMV suspend the motorist's driver's license.

Contact us online or by telephone at (914) 840-5104 to speak with an experienced traffic ticket defense lawyer.

Our Testimonials

Read How We've Helped Past Clients
  • “I have worked with Keith Brown and he always took the time to answer my questions. He always had a plan for me and explained everything clearly.”

    - Jason B.
  • “Both, David Sachs and Andrew Proto demonstrated strong character, punctuality, support and constantly searching for all options to win my both cases, and they made it possible.”

    - Adela L.
  • “David Sachs and the lawyers at Proto, Sachs & Brown, LLP are the best criminal lawyers in Westchester County. Each lawyer in the firm are top-rated as I had the opportunity to work with each of the 3 attorneys.”

    - Robert C.
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Why Hire Our Firm?

Aggressive & Successful Defense
  • Premier Counsel

    Selection for Super Lawyers® (top 5% of New York attorneys)

  • Award-Winning

    Avvo Clients’ Choice Award for Family Law and Criminal Defense

  • Published Legal Authors

    Co-Authored National Bestsellers on DWI & Criminal Defense

  • Experience & Perspective

    65+ years of combined experience, including criminal prosecution

Caring & Compassionate Legal Counsel

Put Our Experience to Work for You

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