Onondaga County is the heart of New York state and is the proud home of almost 500,000 people. Millions of people drive down I-81, I-481, and I-90 on their way to a Syracuse University basketball game, to enjoy Oneida Lake, or on their way to work. Sometimes people drive too fast or make other mistakes while they are driving.
While Syracuse is the largest city in the county, there are many suburban and rural municipalities in which a driver can be issued a traffic ticket. These locations are Baldwinsville Village Court, Cicero Town Court, Clay Town Court, DeWitt Town Court, Elbridge Town Court, Fayetteville Village Court, Geddes Town Court, Lafayette Town Court, Lysander Justice Court, Manlius Town Court, Manlius Village Court, North Syracuse Village Court, Onondaga Town Court, Pompey Town Court, Salina Town Court, Skaneateles Town Court, Syracuse City Court, Tully Town Court, and Van Buren Town Court.
That is where we step in. Our team of experienced traffic ticket lawyers can help you beat your ticket. Read more to learn what we can do for you.
Common Reasons Drivers Hire a Traffic Ticket Attorney in Syracuse or Onondaga County
At Weiss & Associates, PC, we have tons of experience with many different traffic violations. The following is not meant to be a complete list. These are just the most common reasons. If you have committed a traffic offense and are not sure, we recommend calling us. We might be able to help you out.
Speeding Tickets
Cities and towns collected more than $18.5 million in speeding ticket fines in Central New York. The town of Salina by itself is responsible for more than $1 million in speeding tickets.
Speeding tickets are one of the most common reasons Syracuse residents come to Weiss & Associates, PC. The penalty for your speeding ticket depends on how fast you were going. If you were speeding fewer than 10 mph over the speed limit, your fine will usually be between $45 and $150, and you will see 3 points assessed against you. If you were speeding between 21 – 30 mph over the speed limit, for example, your fine will be between $90 and $200, and you will see 6 points against you.
Wondering what to do if you receive a speeding ticket in New York State? Read this helpful article.
Fight a License Suspension
Many people in Onondaga County and the Syracuse area rely on their cars to work. And we are not only talking about commercial drivers, although we can help them too. People need their cars to go to work and take care of their errands. That means that if your license has been suspended, your life may get a lot more difficult.
We can help. Our team knows what it takes to get you back on the road.
Reckless Driving
The state of New York defines reckless driving as “driving or using any motor vehicle, motorcycle or any other vehicle propelled by any power other than muscular power or any appliance or accessory thereof in a manner which unreasonably interferes with the free and proper use of the public highway, or unreasonably endangers users of the public highway.” An example of this might be driving into the lane with oncoming traffic or driving on the sidewalk.
A reckless driving conviction will add 5 points to your license.
Red Light Tickets
Red light tickets can be a huge pain. We have all been there. The light is taking forever and you look around to find that the coast is clear. You pull through, and suddenly the red and blue lights start flashing.
There are no points associated with red light tickets, but you may face a $50 fine.
Obstructing Intersection Tickets
This violation occurs when someone drives forward at a light, but they cannot make it all the way to the other side. When the light changes, the other drivers can’t make it across.
Stop Sign Tickets
Failing to stop at a stop sign results in a fine of up to $150 and 3 points added to your license. On top of that, you will have to pay a surcharge as well.
Stop sign tickets have a few defenses. For example, you can point out to the judge that the stop sign or the line you have to stop at was not very visible.
Cell Phone & Texting While Driving Tickets
Texting while driving is a five-point violation. For the first offense, generally, drivers will be paying between $50 and $200. Many people do not think that this is a very serious offense, but if a cop sees you it can cause major headaches. Here is some helpful information on the topic of cell phones and texting while driving tickets.
Points and Fines Associated With Onondaga County Traffic Tickets
Fines are straightforward. It is money that you need to pay to the government after you have violated a traffic law. More serious violations result in steeper fines. Usually, first-time offenders pay less than people who have committed the same infraction multiple times.
If you do not pay the ticket, it is possible that your license will be suspended.
We mentioned points a few times above. We want to help you make sure that you understand that because it is important. The state of New York set up a system where if you commit too many violations over an 18 month period, your license will be suspended.
Similar to fines, more serious offenses result in higher points. The 18 months counts backward from the time you were issued the ticket. If you accrue more than 11 points in a year and a half, then you will not be able to drive. In order to get back onto the road, you will need to pay an administrative fee.
Why Hire a Traffic Ticket Attorney In Syracuse or Onondaga County
Many people think that getting a traffic ticket is the end of it, and you just need to pay your fine and move on. Getting a ticket is just like any other area of law. You have the right to defend yourself.
Hiring a traffic ticket attorney means that you may be able to beat your ticket. Just like on crime TV shows, the state needs to prove its case against you. There are many different arguments you can make to beat your ticket. In addition, you have the right to know what evidence is being used against you.
Even if we cannot get you completely off the hook, there are still ways we can help. Many courts will let you enter a plea. Fundamentally, this means that you admit that you did something wrong in exchange for a lighter fine.
As we mentioned above, many people think that once you pay the fine you can just move on with your life. That is not the case. Insurance carriers will see your driving record, and they can increase your rates because of that. What seems like a $200 mistake can quickly add up to thousands of dollars over time. Beating your ticket (or reducing it) means that you might not have higher insurance rates.
Let us return to the point system. As we mentioned above, if you accumulate too many points too quickly, your license can be suspended. Knocking the points off your record means that you can drive stress free, without having to worry about having your license taken from you.
Common Onondaga County Traffic Ticket Questions
Should I Fight My Ticket Even If I Am Guilty?
Yes. The court still needs to prove its case against you. Many people win their cases because the state cannot prove its case. Additionally, if the case can prove its case, you can still enter a plea and get your fine reduced.
What If I Ignore My Ticket?
Then your license will likely be suspended.
How Do You Communicate With Your Clients?
Usually through email. We are open during business hours, Monday through Friday.
Why Let Weiss & Associates Fight Your Traffic Ticket Case
Our team has a proven track record of success. In upstate New York, we have won around 98% of our traffic ticket cases. There are very few other law firms that can boast of that level of success, and we are immensely proud of all of the hard work that we did to help out our community.
We know that we have a strong commitment to you. Integrity is important to us, which is why we follow through with our promises. Our goal is to simplify things. Legalese does not make sense to most people, which is why we break it down into plain English so you are with us every step of the way.
Call us today to get started.