If you’ve been cited for a traffic offense or moving violation in Illinois, it’s important to seriously consider hiring a knowledgeable Illinois traffic ticket lawyer to help you fight your traffic citation. It’s important to know that the consequences of a conviction can be serious. You could lose your driving privileges, your job, or face jail time for severe driving offenses. The best way to avoid these outcomes is by fighting your ticket in court and having an experienced Joliet traffic lawyer on your side.
When you work with our law firm, we will take care of everything for you – from filing motions to appearing in court on your behalf. Our experienced firm handles all types of traffic matters and is committed to providing personalized service. Call us today at (708) 465-1040 to schedule a free initial consultation for legal advice.
Table of Contents
What Can Traffic Violations Mean For Your License?
It is important to know the consequences that come with traffic convictions. In Illinois, the rule is three convictions for moving violations in 12 months will result in suspension. A driver’s license suspension can affect your ability to drive legally and take away your independence. The suspension period is mandatory, not discretionary. The Secretary of State uses a computer program called a driver’s abstract to automatically track points and automatically implement suspensions.
The Illinois Secretary of State will send you a letter if you have two moving violations and warn you that if you receive another your license will be suspended. If this happens, it’s important to take action before your license is suspended. You can request an administrative hearing or pay the reinstatement fee to avoid suspension.
The total points you get between the three violations will affect how long the loss of driving privileges will be:
- 15 – 44 points: 2-month suspension
- 45 – 74 points: 3-month suspension
- 75 – 89 points: 6-month suspension
- 90 – 99 points: 9-month suspension
- 100 – 109 points: 12-month suspension
- 110 or more points: License revocation
Common traffic offenses result in the following points to your license:
- Driving without a commercial license in possession: 50
- Using a hand-held phone in a commercial vehicle: 20
- Disobeying an officer: 10
- Disregarding traffic signals or lights: 20
- Failing to report a motor vehicle accident: 25 (50 points if injury)
- Not notifying property damage: 15
- Having an open container in the vehicle: 25
- Reckless driving: 55
- Screeching tires: 10
- Speeding 1 to 10 miles per hour over the limit: 5
- Excessive speeding for road conditions: 10
- Speeding 11 to 14 miles per hour over the limit: 15
- Speeding 15 to 25 miles per hour over the limit: 20
- Speeding more than 25 miles per hour over the limit: 50
- Speeding in a school or work zone: 20
- Driving too slow: 5 (20 if on tollway)
- Speeding on a bridge: 10
- Improper lane usage: 20
- Driving the wrong day on a one-way lane: 5
- Following another vehicle too closely: 25
- Improper turning: 10
- Improper U-turn: 15
- Failure to yield or improper signaling: 15
- Failure to yield to a pedestrian: 20
- Having a broken headlight, taillight, or other equipment: 5
- Use of a cell phone when driving that results in injury: 30
When Should You Hire a Traffic Lawyer?
You can either fight the legal issue yourself or hire an attorney to represent you in court. The latter option can be more expensive but will save you time and stress, and can make all the difference in your case. An attorney can go to traffic court for you and make sure that everything goes smoothly on your behalf.
The average person does not have the legal experience or know-how to properly represent themself in traffic court. An experienced lawyer knows what options and tactics will work to defend your case. Attorneys who have spent a lot of time in traffic court are familiar with how the different judges and sometimes of the law enforcement officers who write the tickets operate. This specific knowledge can prove valuable in deciding how to defend against a ticket.
If you’re looking for a way to avoid severe penalties for traffic violations, negotiating the violation down to a non-moving violation is one option to keep your driving record clean. Negotiating is easy with our team of professionals who know how to get the best deal possible for you. Contact us today and let’s start negotiating your traffic ticket!
Lawyers with a lot of court experience are far more likely to win at trial. Spending countless hours in the courtroom and knowledge of the law allows our team to know what to focus on at trial. People representing themselves often use explanations for why they committed a traffic violation that isn’t considered a legal defense. This typically results in a bad defense and a conviction.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Joliet Traffic Lawyers
You can avoid huge fines and points on your license by hiring an experienced traffic attorney to represent you in court. Our knowledgeable Chicago Traffic Lawyers represent clients throughout Will County, Kane County, Cook County, and DuPage County. We will provide a free consultation so that we understand the specific circumstances of your case and walk you through the legal process. Schedule a meeting with one of our attorneys today, call (708) 465-1040!