Matthews Traffic Ticket Lawyer

Traffic Citations

At  Panchenko Law Firm, we are a new kind of law firm for a changing world. We understand that more often than not, the closing process can be very frustrating, burdensome, and stressful.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET A TICKET?

Upon receiving a traffic citation you may decide to pay it simply because it is the quickest way to dispose of it. What most people don’t realize is that they are pleading guilty to the fine. Aside from the fact that you will be found guilty of the violation resulting in driver’s license points, your car insurance will also increase. Alternatively, you can hire a traffic ticket attorney and let him fight the violation for you.

Why Would You Want to Hire a Traffic Ticket Attorney?

Save time by having your attorney appear on your behalf at the time of your scheduled court date (personal appearance for some citations may be waived)

• Avoid paying large fines
• Retain your driver’s license
• Avoid points on your driving record
• Have the charges against you dismissed or reduced
• Prevent your car insurance premiums from increasing

What happens after a traffic violation conviction in Matthews, North Carolina?

Being convicted of a traffic violation in North Carolina may result in the following:

1. Points on your driving record.
2. Driver’s license suspension.
3. Increase in your car insurance rates.

I. DRIVER’S LICENSE POINTS

Each type of traffic violation in North Carolina results in different amount of points that will be added to your driving record. For instance, the following are some of the most common tickets and their respective points:

1. Pre-arranged Highway Racing – License Suspended
2. Hit and Run (injury/death) – License Suspended
3. DWI (.08 BAC or more) – License Suspended
4. Transporting Illegal Liquor for Sale – License Suspended
5. Highway Racing – License Suspended
6. Speeding to Elude Arrest – License Suspended
7. Driving While Revoked or Suspended – License Suspended
8. Aggressive Driving (Comm. Lic.) – 6 Points
9. Aggressive Driving (Class C License) –  5 Points
10. Reckless Driving –  4 Points
11. Hit and Run (property damage) –  4 Points
12. Passing a Stopped School Bus –  5 Points
13. Speeding (75 mph or greater when limit < 70)  – License Suspended
14. Speeding (80 mph or greater when limit 70) –  3 Points
15. Driver Under 21 Driving after Consuming Alcohol/Drugs – License Suspended
16. Illegal Passing –  4 Points
17. Following Too Closely –  4 Points
18. Driving on Wrong Side of Road –  4 Points
19. Stop Sign/Stop Light Violation – 3 Points
20. Speeding Through a Safety Zone – 3 Points
21. Driving with no Operator’s License – 3 Points
22. Failure to Yield Right of Way – 3 Points
23. Failure to Stop for Siren – 3 Points
24. Driving with no Liability Insurance – 3 Points
25. At Fault Accident (property damage > $1,800, but < $3,000) – 3 Points
26. Speeding (>10 mph over limit when speed limit is > 55, but < 76) – 3 Points
27. Speeding when limit is 55 mph or greater – 3 Points
28. Speeding when limit is 55 mph or less – 2 Points
29. Speeding in School Zone – 3 Points
30. All other Moving Violations – 2 Points
31. Failure to Restrain Child in Restraint – 2 Points
32. At-Fault Accidents (injury or property damage < $1,800) – 3 Points
33. Speeding (10 mph or less over limit when speed limit is less than 55) – 2 Points
34. Littering from vehicle – 1 Point
35. Non-Moving Violations – 0 Points

An accumulation of points can lead to:

• Assigned to attend driver improvement clinic – if you have received 7 points.
• Suspension – if you have gained 12 points within 3 years.
• The following are examples of some common violations and their corresponding point values:

Call Us Today to See How We Can Help You With Your Ticket!

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a CDL driver, we may be able to help you defend against serious traffic violation charges that may result in the disqualification of your CDL.

II. CAR INSURANCE POINTS

Below is a list of driving charges, and the amount of insurance points associated with each charge. Also, when adding up your insurance points, be aware that if you are charged with more than one traffic violation in the same incident, insurance points are generally assessed for each of the traffic charges.

1. Manslaughter or Negligent Homicide – 12 Points
2. Pre-arranged Highway Racing – 12 Points
3. Hit and Run (injury/death) – 12 Points
4. DWI (.08 BAC or more) – 12 Points
5. Transporting Illegal Liquor for Sale – 12 Points
6. Highway Racing – 10 Points
7. Speeding to Elude Arrest – 10 Points
8. Driving While Revoked or Suspended – 8 Points
9. Aggressive Driving (Comm. Lic.) – 8 Points
10. Aggressive Driving (Class C License) – 8 Points
11. Reckless Driving – 4 Points
12. Hit and Run (property damage) – 4 Points
13. Passing a Stopped School Bus – 4 Points
14. Speeding (75 mph or greater when limit < 70) – 4 Points
15. Speeding (80 mph or greater when limit 70) – 4 Points
16. Driver under 21 driving after Consuming Alcohol/Drugs – 4 Points
17. At-Fault Accident (injury/death >$800, or property damage >$3,000) – 3 Points
18. Illegal Passing – 2 Points
19. Following Too Closely – 2 Points
20. Driving on Wrong Side of Road – 2 Points
21. Stop Sign/Stop Light Violation – 1 Point
22. Driving with no Operator’s License – 1 Point
23. Failure to Yield Right of Way – 1 Point
24. Failure to Stop for Siren – 1 Point
25. Driving with no Liability Insurance – 1 Point
26. At Fault Accident (property damage > $1,800, but < $3,000) – 2 Points
27. Speeding (>10 mph over limit when speed limit is > 55, but <76) – 2 Points
28. Speeding (less than 10mph over limit when speed limit is 55 or greater) – 2 Points
29. Speeding when limit is 55 mph or greater – By Speed
30. Speeding when limit is 55 mph or less – By Speed
31. Speeding in School Zone – By Speed
32. All other Moving Violations – 2 Points
33. Failure to Restrain Child in Restraint – 1 Point
34. At-Fault Accidents (injury or property damage < $1,800) – 1 Point
35. Speeding (10 mph or less over limit when speed limit is less than 55) – 1 Point
36. Littering from vehicle – 1 Point
37. Non-Moving Violations – 0 Points

Car Insurance Rates

Your driving record plays a major part in determining your car insurance rates. Having just one traffic violation on your record can increase your auto insurance premium by hundreds of dollars per year. Generally, an insurance point will continue to affect your insurance premiums until the occurrence that caused the insurance point is more than 3 years old. The table below shows how insurance points will impact your auto insurance premiums.

Insurance Points Assessed / Percentage of Rate Increase

• 1 Point  –  25% Increase
• 2 Points – 45% Increase
• 3 Points – 60% Increase
• 4 Points – 80% Increase
• 5 Points – 105% Increase
• 6 Points – 130% Increase
• 7 Points – 160% Increase
• 8 Points – 190% Increase
• 9 Points – 225% Increase
• 10 Points – 260% Increase
• 11 Points – 300% Increase
• 12 Points – 340% Increase

PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO HANDLE TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS BY YOURSELF