Georgia Traffic Tickets That Cause Insurance Rate Increases

Posted on October 30, 2013 by georgiatrafficlawyer

Its common knowledge that if you speed and get caught either by a high tech laser device or traffic camera, or by a uniformed traffic officer you will receive a ticket, no matter what state you are in when the speeding violation occurs. Most of us have experienced that sick feeling in the pit of our stomachs when the lights of a police car flash to pull you over and you know you’ve been speeding, its an awful feeling indeed.

The repercussions of speeding tickets and traffic tickets in Georgia run anywhere from fines and points to a lost driver’s license and maybe even worse for some drivers, an increase in your insurance premiums or rates. Its difficult to know how much a specific violation will cost in insurance increases, as each driver has a different history or driving record and thus the increase varies based on type of ticket and prior driving record. Typically though, the list below includes those types of tickets that will cause your insurance premiums to go up and an estimate of the percentage increase.

1. Driving Under The Influence (DUI) , also known as Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) up to a 25% increase.

2. Reckless Driving – 15 to 20% increase

3. Speeding Ticket – the first ticket may be waived if the driver is willing to go to traffic school but with each subsequent speeding violation and mph over the speed limit, the fine increases and insurance rates will eventually be increased by 10% or more.

4. Red light violations – 10% and repeat violations could bring higher rate increases.

5. Driving without a valid Georgia drivers license – 10% increase

If you need help with a Georgia speeding ticket, GA DUI or other traffic ticket, visit the Georgia Traffic Lawyers website for a free attorney consultation, maybe you can fight the ticket and keep your driving record and current insurance rates.

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Centerville Georgia Grandmother – Jail Time For “Moving Violation”

Posted on April 18, 2009 by georgiatrafficlawyer

Unbelievable video of Grandmother getting arrested for failure to pull over in Centerville Georgia. She was frightened by all the stories of “fake” police officers pulling over women alone in their vehicles and thus put her flashers on and just drove until she thought it was safe to stop.

The Georgia Traffic Officer pulled her over and arrested her, she was found guilty and sentenced to 10 days in jail.

Houston County Georgia Speeding Ticket Lawyer

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Man Takes Traffic Ticket Case To Georgia State Supreme Court

Posted on March 15, 2009 by georgiatrafficlawyer

One Whitfield County resident’s challenge to a traffic case could help determine whether Georgia law regarding left turns is constitutional. The Georgia Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in Todd Christopher McNair’s challenge to a March 2008 conviction for making an illegal left turn.

“It’s now in the Supreme Court’s hands,” said his attorney, Benjamin Goldberg. “It could be up to six months before they deliver a decision.”

According to a summary of the case on the court’s Web site, in June 2007, McNair turned left onto eastbound U.S. Highway 41 from a parking area at the Best Western Inn. He pulled into the outermost lane, but he was stopped by a Dalton police officer in an unmarked car who claimed the law required McNair to turn into the innermost lane. McNair was charged with improper left turn, DUI and obstruction of an officer. McNair was on probation, so he had his probation revoked and spent four months in jail. At trial, a jury acquitted him of DUI and obstruction but found him guilty of the improper turn. He was sentenced to 12 months probation, a $500 fine, 100 hours of community service, drug and alcohol counseling and random drug tests.

“We argued from the beginning that the left turn law is unconstitutionally vague. It fails to put on notice millions of drivers in Georgia as to how to comply with it,” said Goldberg. “As you read that statute it is open to two opposite interpretations. One is the way the state has maintained and the officer thinks, which is that you have to turn into the left lane, the extreme left lane. But the other way is that you have to leave that lane available for other traffic. Under that interpretation, you would be required to turn into the rightmost lane, which is what Mr. McNair did.”

The law states: “Whenever practicable, the left turn shall be made to the left of the center of the intersection and so as to leave the intersection or other location in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction as such vehicle on the roadway being entered.”

Conasauga Circuit District Attorney Kermit McManus, whose office prosecuted the case, says the law is clear and it requires people to turn into the inside lane.

“I’ve never had anyone complain they didn’t understand what the law requires until this case. It may have occurred in other places, in courtrooms I wasn’t involved it,” he said. “But I’ve been in this office as a prosecutor since 1983. The first 14 years, from 1983 to 1986, I did all the traffic cases that came through the district attorney’s office in both Whitfield and Murray counties.”

Story By Charles Oliver
Dalton Daily Citizen

Legal help for Georgia Traffic Violations

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Georgia Law Enforcement Wrap Click It Or Ticket

Posted on November 29, 2008 by georgiatrafficlawyer

Law enforcement officers are wrapping up Click-it-or-Ticket during the most traveled weekend of the year.
Georgia State Patrol is in full force and say they’re more aggressive over the holidays when more travelers are on the roads.

During this busy travel weekend, the state patrol is seeing thousands more drivers on Georgia roads and they’re not afraid to give tickets.

While there’s a number of things they’re looking for, they catch most people for speeding.

“Every trooper in the state is out on roads in force.  We’re always looking at seatbelt use, aggressive drivers. Seems like when the holidays come around, they come out.  I’m not sure about why they speed more during the holidays, guess they’re trying to get to where they’re getting,” said Georgia State Patrol Trooper Brandon Brown.

Officers enforce seatbelt laws 365 days a year, but they say the Click-it-or-Ticket program, which they usually run about 3 or 4 times a year, makes drivers more aware of the importance of buckling up.

“I think the signs on the expressway showing that they are going to give you a ticket is very good because you are aware of it as you should be aware of it,” said traveler Linda Phillips.

“If they’re scared they’re going to get a ticket just for not wearing a seatbelt, they’ll probably put it on,” added Alycia Delmar.

Law enforcement agencies work together to make the program a success.  Georgia State Patrol focuses mostly on the interstates and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office watches seatbelt use in neighborhoods and city roads.

“Unfortunately we see people not wearing seatbelts while driving,” said Deputy Jim Carroll.

As of noon on Friday, more than 1,000 wrecks have been reported since Wednesday night — with 262 injuries and four people killed.

“We’d like to see no injuries and no fatalities, but unfortunately that doesn’t happen,” said Brown.

Click-it-or-Ticket ends on Sunday, but keep in mind that officers will write a ticket any time they see a driver without a seatbelt on.

Article by Liz Foster, WMGT.com

Traffic Ticket in Georgia?

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Click Or Ticket Kickoff in Georgia

Posted on November 24, 2008 by georgiatrafficlawyer

ALBANY, GA (WALB) – As one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season approaches the Governor’s office of Highway safety is trying to make it a safe one.

In Georgia, failure to use safety belts is a major contributing factor in more than half of Thanksgiving holiday traffic deaths.

As law enforcement across the state gear up to enforce the state’s seat belt law, they hope the increase eyes on the road will result in fewer fatalities.

Authorities may be telling you that in person beginning Today as the Governor’s Office Of Highway Safety kicks off their Click-It-or-Ticket safety campaign.

“We have been given instructions to especially look out for those not wearing their seat belts, because it is a law now in Georgia,” Cpl. Elbert Slappy, Georgia State Patrol.

Last year the four-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend, 26 people were killed on Georgia roads, nearly 1,100 more were injured in crashes.

Wainright Jeffers – WALB TV 10 News

 

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Georgia State Patrol Releases Statistics for Sept-October

Posted on October 17, 2008 by georgiatrafficlawyer

State Troopers from the Swainsboro Post of the Georgia State Patrol investigated 17 traffic crashes during the month of September in Emanuel County. Sergeant First Class Young said the traffic crashes resulted in 19 injuries and no traffic deaths. They also investigated 13 traffic crashes in Emanuel County during the month of August, resulting in 13 injuries and no traffic deaths.

SFC Young said troopers from Post 19 also issued 257 traffic citations in the county during August, including 12 arrests for driving under the influence, 78 citations for speeding, 21 seat belt violations, and 22 child restraint violations. They also issued 232 warnings. In September, they issued 199 traffic citations in the county, including 12 arrests for driving under the influence, 73 citations for speeding, 16 seat belt violations and 24 child restraint violations. They also issued 237 warnings.

In other counties, the troopers from Post 19 investigated no traffic crashes in August or September. They also issued 39 citations in August, including 28 citations for speeding and 2 child restraint violations. In September, they issued 29 traffic citations out of the county, including 3 arrests for driving under the influence, 12 citations for speeding, one seat belt violation and one child restraint violation. They also issued 20 warnings in August and 27 warnings in September.

Article from TheBladePlus.com Swainsboro, GA

 

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Taxi Driver Gets Traffic Ticket In Georgia For Honking Horn

Posted on October 13, 2008 by georgiatrafficlawyer

RIVERDALE, Ga. — Metro Atlanta taxi driver Andrew Pless is ready to put his foot down — not on his brake pedal, but on a law that is unknown to most, which penalizes drivers for blowing their horns on a highway.

“I just did beep, beep,” said Pless. Pless said he received a traffic citation for blowing his horn on Highway 139 in Riverdale.“I don’t think I should be paying $140 for improper horn use, what they call it,” said Pless. Pless said it all started at a traffic light. He said the car ahead of him didn’t move when the light turned green.

“I waited a few seconds, about 8 to 12 seconds, and then I was like what’s up, you know, and I did like this beep beep,” Pless explained.

Then he said he was pulled over by police.“I asked him why they stopped me and he said ’cause I blew my horn back there…and I looked at him like what,” said Pless. Most people at City Hall hadn’t heard of such a law, and neither did residents who talked to Channel 2.“I don’t think it is right for getting a ticket,” said Charles Brown.“I’ve blown my horn before. I never got a ticket,” said Denise Altman.

After conducting research, the assistant police chief told Channel 2 that the officer used Georgia traffic code 40-8-70 to cite the taxi driver.The law states a driver of a motor vehicle shall give audible warning with his or her horn but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway. Since Pless was on Highway 139, he was cited.

Pless said he disagrees with the law and wonders how he was supposed to get the driver’s attention otherwise.“She was slow pulling off at the light, and I just went beep beep,” he said. Pless said he will challenge the ticket.

From WSBTV.com

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Cordele Police Cracking Down on Work Zone Speeders

Posted on March 15, 2008 by georgiatrafficlawyer

Cordele, Georgia — Many drivers cresting over this hill along Interstate 75 South in Cordele find themselves in the cross hairs of a radar gun, and that can equal bad news for those caught speeding inside this work zone.“We have a good 3 miles of construction zone here where workers are actually present and heavy equipment is present. My guys have written about 50 citations today,” said Captain Tommy Jackson with the Cordele Police Department.

Jackson heads up a team of patrolmen set up along a 3 miles stretch of I-75 where they clock potential speeders before they reach the crowded work zones.

“We focus on the high end speeders – 79 (mph) and above. They’re doing 19 miles an hour over the speed limit. The highest we’ve had today has been a couple at 85 (mph). When these guys are working two or three feet away from a vehicle doing 85 miles an hour, it is very dangerous,” says Jackson.

Since 1973, 56 Georgia DOT workers have been killed in work zone accidents. Brad Ketner, safety engineer with Archer Western Contractors, has witnessed one of them.

“It was instantaneous, but we did everything we could. All of the safety measures were there. It’s just one of those accidents that happened,” said Ketner, speaking on the recent fatality of 10 year Archer Western employee killed by a drunk driver near Macon.

But the number of workers killed pales in comparisons to the number of motorists who die, dozens of them each year, in work zone related accidents. With 32 accidents in this zone since construction began in 2006, CPD is trying to make the road a safer place for all.

“We’re trying to save lives. That’s our goal. Archer Western has already had one worker killed in Bibb County. We don’t want one in Crisp County,” said Jackson.

Ticket fines can reach upwards of $200.00 for those cited for speeding in a work zone.

Officers say they recently clocked and arrested a motorist driving over 100 miles-per-hour in the work zone.

The contractor doing the interstate work says it should be completed by the beginning of 2010.

For up to date road construction information throughout the state you can call 511.

Cade Fowler, WALB.com news

Speeding Ticket in Cordele Georgia?

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Stopped By A Georgia Traffic Officer? Know Your Rights.

Posted on February 15, 2008 by georgiatrafficlawyer

 

If you are driving in Georgia you may get pulled over for any number of moving violations, the list below includes the majority of Georgia Moving Traffic Violations that you can be charged and ticketed for by a Georgia Traffic Officer.

  1. Obedience to Traffic Control Devices
  2. Failure to Maintain Lane
  3. Following too Closely.
  4. Failure to Yield Right of Way
  5. Failure to STOP
  6. Failure to Yield
  7. Improper U Turn
  8. Improper Lane Change
  9. Failure to Use Correct Signal
  10. Impeding Traffic Flow
  11. Reckless Driving
  12. Attempting to Elude
  13. Aggressive Driving

If you are ticketed in GA for any of these violations, you can seek the help of a Georgia Traffic Ticket Attorney for assistance in dealing with the fines that may be associated, in varying amounts, with the violation. Don’t just automatically assume you must pay or go to court on your own behalf for your moving ticket violation in Georgia.

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