Just like in most towns, it is not uncommon for drivers in Beaver to receive a traffic ticket or two in their lifetime. Part of the reason for this is because there are so many different ways that you can violate traffic laws or make mistakes. Sometimes, signs are hidden by overgrown bushes or trees. Maybe the speed limit recently changed, or the local police set up a nasty speed trap at the bottom of a steep hill where it is difficult to slow down. Towns like Beaver are also using traffic tickets increasingly as a way to generate some income for the town, so police officers do not hesitate to write tickets when they see people make even the simplest of mistakes.

Not every traffic violation is considered as serious as others. However, except for DUIs or DWIs, they all come with a certain point value assigned to them. Even if you go ahead, admit your guilt, and pay your fine, you will have to deal with the repercussions of the points that go with your specific violation.

For example, under Pennsylvania traffic law, failing to stop at a stop sign or a red light will result in having three points added to your driver’s license. Speeding six to ten miles per hour above the speed limit results in two points, but those point values go up as your speed over the limit increases.

While these points may seem like they won’t affect you, they can add up quickly, and when they reach a certain sum, they do have effects on your life. The first time your license reaches a total of six points, you will have to take an exam to test your safe driving. The second time your record gets six points total, you will have to go a hearing where you could have to take the exam and have your license suspended for fifteen days. The third time will mean your license is suspended for thirty days. Because most common traffic violations are three or four points each, it is very easy to have them add up and result in these strict consequences, making it worth your while to call a Beaver traffic ticket lawyer when you first receive your ticket.

DUIs are a little different, because they do not use the point system. However, the consequences are still extremely harsh, even for your first offense. One DUI can get you six months’ probation, a $300 fine, and mandatory traffic school and alcohol treatment. These penalties increase, and usually include jail time, if you have had another DUI in your past or if your blood alcohol content level was 0.10% or higher (the legal limit is under 0.08%).

Is it worth facing fines, license suspension, driving exams, or even jail time because you made one mistake behind the wheel? Many say no, and they choose to contest their ticket in the Beaver Magisterial Court. But if you choose to plead not guilty, you should not try to do so without the assistance of a Beaver traffic ticket attorney.

Lawyers are invaluable in helping people in traffic court, because they have the ability to make sure the judge listens to your side of the story and that they don’t just listen to the story of the police officer who wrote your ticket. There are often some excellent defenses your lawyer can use to show that you were not intentionally committing an offense, or that there was an issue with the proof the officer used.

Proving that a sign was obscured from view or that a speed or radar gun got a false reading are just some of the ways that your lawyer can help convince the judge to reduce your penalties or have them eliminated altogether. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our experienced lawyers right away to get your case started.