As a motorists, you are bound to eventually get at least one traffic ticket during your driving career. It happens. You can take every precaution and drive as carefully as possible. The bottom line is that at some point, you will get that traffic ticket.
If and when you get a traffic ticket, you have two major options: you can plead guilty and pay the ticket or you can fight it. If you don’t believe that you deserve the ticket or want to take every step possible to fight it and avoid the harsh consequences, you need to hire a skilled New Jersey traffic ticket attorney to help you avoid the situation from becoming more costly or drawing harsh penalties.
Common Types of Traffic Tickets
You can get a traffic ticket for a variety of different reasons. Below is a list of different traffic violations matters under New Jersey law:
- Driving with a suspended or revoked license, N.J.S.A. 39:3-40
- Driving without insurance, N.J.S.A. 39:6B-2
- Knowingly leaving the scene of an accident, N.J.S.A. 39:4-129
- Reckless driving, N.J.S.A.39:4-96
- Improper passing, N.J.S.A. 39:4-85
- Careless driving, N.J.S.A. 39:4-97
- Speeding ticket, N.J.S.A. 39:4-98
- Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV) hearings, N.J.S.A. 39:5-30
- Restoring your driver’s license
- Failure to report an accident, N.J.S.A. 39:4-130
- Failure to Observe a Traffic Signal, N.J.S.A. 39:4-81
- Improper Turn at Traffic Light, N.J.S.A. 39:4-115
- Failure to Observe a Stop Sign or Yield Sign, N.J.S.A. 39:4-144
- Tailgating, N.J.S.A. 39:4-89
Regardless of what the underlying reason is for your traffic ticket, you should make a real effort to immediately consult with an experienced traffic ticket attorney to determine whether you have a strong case to fight the ticket.
Different Strategies For Fighting Your Traffic Ticket
Depending on the specific facts surrounding your traffic ticket and how and why it was issued to you, your attorney will determine what is the best strategy for fighting the ticket and avoiding the harsh penalties. Five common defense strategies use to fight traffic tickets include:
- Challenge the police officer’s subjective conclusion – this strategy is most successful when a cop must make a subjective judgment as to whether you violated the law.
- Challenge the officer’s observations – there are a number of different techniques that may work to raise at least a reasonable doubt as to your guilt.
- Prove your conduct was a “mistake of fact”
- Prove your conduct was “legally justified”
- Prove your conduct was necessary to avoid harm – such as causing a serious accident.
Call Us
If you or someone you know has received any type of moving violation ticket, be certain to consult with a traffic ticket attorney who specifically handles these types of cases. For more information or to schedule a free consultation with New Jersey traffic violation attorney Dan T. Matrafajlo, please call the Law Offices of Dan T. Matrafajlo at (908) 248-4404. One call make a big difference.
