The Unintended and often Overlooked Negative Consequences of Moving Traffic Violations

In the very near future, perhaps even on your commute home from work this evening, when you find yourself nonchalantly rolling through a stop sign, or going 40 MPH in that 25 MPH zone by your house, or even reviewing or sending a text message, if the potentiality for getting into a violent accident is not enough to deter your ill begotten driving habits, then maybe the idea of having to reach deep down into the crevices of your pockets, past the lint, and the money for that new [insert object of desire], will.

In a recent publication from Insuranceforums.com (link below), a recent moving violations report generated by insuranceQuotes.com found that:

· Drivers who receive a petty (minor) speeding violation (1-15 mph over the speed limit) pay an average of 21% more for car insurance;

· A speeding violation of more than 30 MPH can result in a rate increase of 99%;

· Other fairly minor violations that can drastically increase driving rates includes driving too closely (19%), and failure to signal (19%);

· DUI violations can result in premium increases of up to 94%! While reckless driving can increase your rate a cool 85%.

Outside of doing the obvious, that is to drive responsibly, realistically, no one is perfect, so what can you do to avoid these ancillary penalties in the event you are cited with a moving violation? Hire a seasoned criminal defense attorney to advocate on your behalf. In the event your ticket is not ultimately dismissed in which case you pay nothing and ticket vanishes into the ether, your attorney can strike a plea deal with the prosecutor to reduce the charge to a lesser offense (non-moving), or, if you qualify for supervision, he may be able to seek a reduced fine and get you court ordered supervision for a period of time following entry of your negotiation plea of guilty. If you go the supervision period without any further moving violations, the ticket is dropped from your record, and no one, including your pesky insurer, is the wiser.

If you find yourself in need of representation in a traffic related matter, whether it be a DUI charge, or a speeding ticket, please do not hesitate to give Attorney Robert J. Tomei Jr. a call at (847) 596-7494. You can always send a private message using the “contact us” page on our website at www.tomeilawfirm.com.