Beaver County deputies and other law enforcement officers throughout Pennsylvania respond to emergencies, keep our cities and towns safe from criminal activity, and write tickets for traffic violations. Most of us have been pulled over by the police for allegedly violating a traffic law, which frequently results in either a warning or citation from the police. Many drivers assume that regardless of guilt, traffic tickets are impossible to beat and they simply pay the fine and move on, but doing this can have big consequences in Pennsylvania.
The experienced traffic violations lawyers know that the consequences of traffic tickets can be severe, especially if you are unlucky enough to receive multiple traffic tickets in a short period of time. When a driver pays a fine for a Pennsylvania traffic ticket, he or she is essentially pleading guilty to the violation. That violation goes on the driver’s record and the driver has now accrued points against his or her license as a result.
Traffic ticket consequences
Traffic tickets can result in both expected and unforeseen consequences, which means that maybe you should think twice about paying that fine when you think the citation was unjustified. Consequences for guilty pleas may include the following:
- Fines
- Violation of your driving record
- Warrant for your arrest if unpaid and uncontested
- Points against license leading to suspension
- Commercial Driver’s License in jeopardy
Pennsylvania point system
As mentioned above, under Pennsylvania’s point system, when you get a ticket you also get points against your license. Citation consequences and the number of points allocated vary based on some factors such as how many miles per hour you were traveling over the speed limit, if you have a commercial driver’s license, if you are a young driver, how many points you have accrued in the past, how many times your license has been suspended, and the type of citation you were issued.
CDL suspension
Pennsylvania has serious consequences for specific citations when it comes to drivers who hold a commercial driver’s license. A commercial driver’s license may be suspended for major violations including leaving the scene of an accident, refusing a blood chemical test, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Types of traffic tickets
Beaver County traffic ticket attorneys help drivers contest many different types of traffic tickets including the following:
- Speeding
- Excessive speeding
- Reckless driving
- Insurance violations
- Driving without a license
- Commercial vehicle driver tickets
- Warrants for failure to appear or pay the citation
- Traffic ticket for the minor with learner’s permit
- Driving under the influence
- Broken headlights
- Traffic signal or sign violation
- Seatbelt violation
- Car seat violation
- Expired registration
- Speeding in a school zone
- Speeding in a work zone
- Distracted driving
