When you're issued a traffic ticket, you might be tempted to just pay the fine and put it behind you. You know you'll have to go against the word of a police officer, and you might not be sure what your offense even was. Unfortunately, paying your ticket and pleading guilty can leave you dealing with severe consequences.
You'll need to know what your offense, such as failure to yield, means so you can fight back. When you know what to expect, you'll be able to dispute the accusations and get your charges dropped.
When you're pulled over for failure to yield, what does that mean? Typically, it means that you failed to yield to oncoming traffic, ignoring the yield sign on your side of the intersection.
Unfortunately, ignoring a yield sign can be just as dangerous as ignoring a stop sign, especially if you're entering a road where the other drivers have no yield or stop signs. There's a possibility of a serious car accident, and you or the other driver could be severely injured.
As such, a failure to yield ticket will cost you a fine and points on your license. If you accumulate eleven points in eighteen months, your license will be suspended.
You'll need to prove that you weren't at fault to get your ticket dismissed, but that can be difficult. Who is supposed to pass through the intersection first will depend on the type of intersection and the posted signage.
Typically, your verdict will depend on whether you came to a stop, whether the other driver fully stopped, and whether you entered the intersection before they passed. If you believe the other driver came to a rolling stop, having a witness or video evidence of this can help your claim. Otherwise, you'll need to focus on proving that you didn't enter the intersection before the other driver.
When you’re running errands or on your way to work, the last thing you need is a traffic ticket. You might not be sure what to do once you receive it, and you’re just looking to put the citation behind you. But, if you don’t dispute the ticket, you could be dealing with inconvenient and expensive long-term consequences.
That's where a New York City traffic ticket lawyer from the Law Office of James Medows can help. We understand how frustrating and sometimes confusing a traffic ticket can be. We’ll help you fight back against the citation and protect your license from additional points.
Considering fighting back against your traffic ticket? Call our attorneys with your questions about what things like failure to yield mean, and set up your free consultation. To begin, reach us by calling 917-856-1247 or visit our website for more information.
