Each year, millions of red light camera violations are processed around the country, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars. If you’ve been a victim of a red light violation, and you don’t believe it’s fair, a ticket lawyer can help. That’s because there are a number of ways to get out of these tickets- ways that the average person hasn’t heard of.
In most states, it’s the driver of the vehicle, and not the owner, who is liable for a red light ticket. If you’re sure that you weren’t driving, it’s not your responsibility to pay. In fact, your first step should be to get photographs, which will often be mailed to you with the citation itself (although you may also have to request these in some states).
Check if the driver is actually you, or if it’s someone else. The license plate also must be able to be clearly read, and the pictures should be clear. If the photo’s aren’t clear enough, a cheap traffic attorney can argue on your behalf if it’s not convincing enough for a conviction.
A great lawyer can also show that the light was malfunctioning, the yellow light didn’t give you enough time to get through, you had an obscured field of vision, or there weren’t any signs advising of a red camera area (depending on the state). You may also have run the red light because you were trying to avoid an accident, or perhaps it wasn’t even your vehicle in the first place. That’s why it’s a good idea to know your options and speak with a red light ticket attorney long beach.
It’s difficult to dispute a ticket if the traffic camera has caught you in the intersection, in your vehicle (and it’s definitely you). However, it’s also possible to request a deferral. This means that after six months without any violations, you can have the ticket dismissed from your record. This is only possible if you’re a good driver and don’t have any other driving record violations.
Sometimes, a clean driving record is enough to ask for a ticket to be dismissed. This will be up to the judge, and of course, a great legal defence can make this more likely to happen.
You may also argue that you felt the need to keep driving due to an aggressive tailgater, ice on the road, or another problem. If you had a large vehicle in front of your car, you may not have been able to see the red light until you were already within the intersection. A good traffic attorney will help you make the best arguement depending on your specific case.
