Traffic Violations Information Center

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 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.

At Riebling, Proto & Sachs, LLP our attorneys represent clients in all types of traffic infractions or traffic tickets. We regularly appear at the New York City Traffic Violations Bureau in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens. We also regularly appear in the Courts of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, and Orange Counties. In order to protect your rights it is always advisable to defend these matters.

IF YOU RECEIVE A TRAFFIC TICKET

Contact our office immediately. The back of your ticket contains information on how to answer the ticket but our attorney will 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.

COURT DATES

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 our office will respond on your behalf. Once you hire our office, 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 you time is valuable. If you were to appear 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.

WHY AN ATTORNEY IS IMPORTANT

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 case law to have a traffic ticket dismissed. Also, if a plea barging is entered into an attorney can usually negotiate a better deal with fewer points assessed against your license and a lower fine.

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.

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 a license in another state this assessment applies.

POINTS:

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.

ALCOHOL/DRUG/CHEMICAL TEST REFUSAL OFFENSE:

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

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

SUSPENDED LICENSE

If you 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.

Importantly should you be 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 a extended period of time.

CONCLUSION

In order to navigate the complex bureaucracy of the New York State Department of Moor Vehicles, Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) and/or the Court system you need an aggressive attorney to protect your rights. Our traffic attorneys are experienced and always pursue the best possible results. If you have a case pending in New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange Counties or elsewhere in New York State contact our office for a Free Consultation.