Ohio Traffic Offense Lawyers

Getting a traffic ticket may not seem like a life-changing event, but it is stress you don’t need in your already busy life. Chances are that you just want to make the ticket go away as quickly and inexpensively as possible, which usually means either choosing to pay it or representing yourself in court rather than hiring traffic offense lawyers. But that short-term savings could create long-term headaches and even greater expense over time.

If hiring an attorney for a traffic offense seems like overkill, remember that traffic offenses often involve more than just paying a fine. Traffic tickets can mean increased insurance premiums, which add up quickly, along with points on your driver’s license. Paying the fine for your offense may seem like a quick way to solve your immediate problem, but it can create bigger ones down the road. So can representing yourself in court.

The Risks of Dealing with a Ticket on Your Own

Paying a ticket for a traffic offense doesn’t just resolve the case. It creates lasting consequences. You may not realize it, but paying the fine means you are admitting guilt for the traffic violation. Each violation adds points to your driving record. It only takes a few points to raise your insurance rates for years, potentially costing you thousands.

If you drive as part of your job, having points on your license could affect your employment and future opportunities. If you accumulate 12 points or more on your license over a rolling two-year period, your license could be suspended for six months. Not only will that make getting around much more difficult, you will have to pay fees to get your license reinstated.

As you can see, it makes sense to fight a traffic ticket, but representing yourself in court is usually not the way to go. You will be dealing with prosecutors who know the law and legal system much better than you. They may offer a deal that sounds good but has hidden implications you may not realize until it’s too late.

How Experienced Ohio Traffic Offense Lawyers Help

The traffic offenses lawyers at Wesley Buchanan, Esq. represent clients in all types of Ohio moving violations, including:

• Minor speeding (<5 mph over limit on city streets, <10 over limit on highways) (0 points)
• Speeding 6-20 mph over limit when limit is below 55 mph (2 points)
• Speeding 11-29 mph over limit when limit is 55 mph or above (2 points)
• Stopped school bus violation (2-4 points)
• Speeding 30 mph or more over limit (4 points)
• DWI/DUI under the age of 21 (4 points)
• Reckless operation of a vehicle (4 points)
• Drag racing (6 points)
• Operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent (6 points)
• “Hit and skip” (failure to stop at the scene of an accident) (6 points)
• Fleeing a law enforcement officer (6 points)
• Using a motor vehicle in the commission of a felony (6 points)
• Vehicular homicide or assault (6 points)

Having an attorney represent you helps to level the playing field. A lawyer who understands Ohio traffic laws can often negotiate a deal that will keep points off your license, and perhaps even reduce any fines or penalties you’ll have to pay.