Ocean City Traffic Lawyer
An Ocean City traffic lawyer can provide legal representation if you have been cited for a traffic offense. While a traffic ticket may seem like a minor hassle, it can have major consequences. Too many tickets can result in the suspension of your driver’s license and unpaid tickets could result in a warrant out for your arrest.
You need to understand your rights and obligations and make informed choices when you respond to a traffic citation in Ocean City. Contact an attorney when you get a ticket to get the advice you need.
Contacting an Ocean City Traffic Lawyer
An Ocean City traffic lawyer can help you to try to explore ways to avoid points on your license for conviction of an offense, or can help you to argue against being convicted of a traffic crime. If you were a visitor to Ocean City and received a ticket while in the area, your Ocean City traffic attorney can represent you as you resolve your ticket so you can minimize or avoid trips back to the state.
Don’t simply accept that you got a traffic ticket and face all the consequences that the ticket entails—get legal help today from a traffic lawyer in Ocean City Maryland. Call now for advice on your case.
Traffic Crimes in Ocean City
The Maryland Transportation Code has a huge number of different rules related to everything from how and where roads are built to how drivers must behave on the roads. Maryland Code Section 21-102 imposes responsibility on drivers to know and obey these rules. This Code Section stipulates that a person:
- Cannot do any act prohibited by the Transportation Code
- Cannot fail to do any act required by the Transportation Code
Acts required by the code include:
- Obeying all traffic signals (Code Section 21-201)
- Pedestrians obeying all of the rules of the road, including traffic control signals (Code Section 21-501).
Acts prohibited by the code include:
- Passing in a no-passing zone (Code Section 21-307)
- Following behind another vehicle more closely than is reasonable or prudent based on traffic and weather conditions (Code Section 21-310)
Traffic offenses are classified in three different groups.
The first group of traffic offenses is non-incarcerable traffic infractions. These are tickets that do not carry any jail time. The penalty for a non-incarcerable traffic offense is a fine; it also carries points that are assessed to the driver’s motor vehicle records.
The second classification of traffic offenses is misdemeanors. Almost every incarcerable traffic offense is considered a misdemeanor unless it has been defined as a felony. These include citations that carry a maximum penalty of 60 days and/or a $500 fine, and some carry maximum penalties of a year and/or a $1000 fine. There is a range of what the possible penalty might be.
The third category of traffic offenses is felony offenses. These carry much greater, much more severe penalties.
If you are accused of having engaged in certain behaviors like driving while impaired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, contacting an Ocean City criminal lawyer is imperative as you can even be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor or felony crime.
Penalties for Ocean City Traffic Crimes
Traffic crimes generally have two consequences: a fine and demerit points on your license. A detailed list of fines and demerit points for different traffic offenses can be found on the website of the District Court of Maryland. Fines can be significant depending upon the offense. For example:
- Driving a commercial motor vehicle with only a permit and without a licensed driver with you can result in a $530.00 fine and 12 demerit points.
- Failure to provide your insurance information when you are involved in a crash can result in a fine of $140.00.
- Willfully disobeying the directions of a school crossing guard can result in a $290.00 fine and one point on your license
- Failing to stop at a steady red arrow can result in a fine of $140.00 and two points on your license.
If you pay the fine without going to court, this is an admission of guilt. If you do not pay the fine, you must come to court to defend yourself. If you fail to pay and don’t show up, a bench warrant could be issued for your arrest in which case an Ocean City traffic lawyer is even more important.