Whether you live in South Bend, Crown Point, Indianapolis, Valparaiso, or another Indiana town or city, you may have racked up a few traffic tickets. You may not think that traffic tickets warrant engaging the services of a criminal defense lawyer, but if you're faced with the potential suspension of your driver's license, you might want to think again.
Although traffic tickets may not rank up there with weapon crimes, a federal felony, or even a misdemeanor, they can be very serious. When you receive a traffic ticket for traffic violations like failing to stop at a stop sign, exceeding the posted speed limit, or not turning on your turn signal when you're making a lane change, you accumulate points against your driver's license. A minor offense may bring with it a two-point penalty, but a more serious offense can do much more damage to your driving record and have serious consequences for your life and lifestyle.
For example, if you were ticketed for driving under the influence, for not pulling over for an emergency vehicle, or for racing, you would accumulate eight points against your driving record. In Indiana, if you accumulate eighteen points over twenty-four months, you may have your driver's license suspended. The suspension could range from 30 days to one year. Consider the impact that would have on your ability to go to work, to take care of your family, and to do all of the things that make life run smoothly.
What many people do not realize is that, if you have accumulated those eighteen points, a good lawyer can help prevent your driver's license from being suspended. He does this by working with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to dismiss or excuse older traffic tickets for relatively minor infractions. If, for example, you have eighteen points but have a ticket for speeding that is twenty-two months old, an attorney can work to get that old two-point ticket dismissed. When he succeeds, you are left with only sixteen points and no cause for license suspension.
Likewise, if you are what Indiana law terms a "habitual offender" by having multiple moving violations and a serious offense like driving under the influence over the period of a decade, you may face a five- to ten-year suspension of your license. Driving while your license is suspended is considered a felony, and can result in a suspended license for life. Considering the impact this could have on your life and livelihood, obtaining the services of a good lawyer is well advised.
Traffic tickets may not seem like a big deal, but they can result in missed time at work, the loss of your driver's license, skyrocketing insurance rates, and heavy fines. If you're considered a repeat offender, you may even be subjected to a prison sentence. Serious traffic tickets should be taken seriously, and the right Indiana lawyer can help you navigate the penalties associated with traffic tickets so you can move on with your life.
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