Before You Pay a Pinellas County Traffic Ticket…Call Us First!
Traffic Ticket Clinic Lawyer May Save You Points and Help You Avoid Driving School
- Traffic school – time consuming & costly: If you haven’t attended a traffic safety school within the last 12 months you can go this route. But taking the course without the benefit of a St. Petersburg / Clearwater traffic ticket lawyer may cause you to waste your limited number of lifetime elections.
- Avoid court and stay at work: An experienced St. Petersburg / Clearwater traffic ticket lawyer may be able to satisfactorily resolve your case without the need for you to appear in court.
- You can be “guilty with an explanation:” Your circumstances might not justify an outright dismissal of your traffic ticket, but a seasoned Pinellas County attorney can argue your unique situation or needs in order to avoid a formal conviction and points on your driver’s license.
- No points & no driving school: We can intervene on your behalf with the St. Petersburg or Clearwater Traffic Court Judge. The Judge has the authority to save you points on your driving record & waive the requirement that you complete a driver improvement course.
Traffic Ticket Lawyer Corrects 4 Myths
- It’s not Just a Ticket: Receiving a traffic ticket can have far-reaching consequences. Not only will you be subject to fines and court costs, but the points assessed against your driver’s license could jeopardize your continued privilege to drive and increase the premium you pay on automobile insurance coverage.
- Just Paying the Ticket is Your Worst Possible Option: If you elect to go the “easy way out” by simply paying the ticket at the Pinellas County Clerk’s Office, you should know that it is equivalent to entering a “guilty” plea. Next stop: points on your driver’s license and higher insurance rates.
- Hiring a Lawyer May be Less Expensive than You Think: We make every effort to charge affordable and reasonable fees. When you compare our legal fee to the cost of increased insurance premiums and potential driver’s license ramifications, we believe you will find the benefit to far outweigh the cost. In addition, our office only handles cases in Pinellas County. We routinely appear in front of the same traffic court judges. For these reasons, our travel expenses are less than a typical “ticket clinic” that handles cases across the state.
Call Us to Discuss Your Options Right Over the Phone: (727) 578-0303
We’re St. Petersburg / Clearwater attorneys who handle all types of traffic tickets, traffic infractions, and traffic violations arising out of Pinellas County, Florida. You can call us for a free consultation to discuss your various options on how to deal with your Pinellas County traffic ticket. We will be able to identify possible defenses, tell you if you may be in a position to fight the traffic ticket or beat the traffic ticket, provide you with instruction on completing tasks that may make you look better in the eyes of the traffic ticket court, and review your driving record to determine how many points you currently have.
If you have received a traffic ticket in Pinellas County, we can help!
Common Traffic Tickets & Citations Issued in Pinellas County, Florida
Listed below are some of the most common moving violations and traffic offenses that are issued by local law enforcement. This chart also shows the points that are assessed against your driver’s license only in the event of conviction. Avoiding formal conviction will not only save you points on your driving record, it will also provide long lasting savings on your car insurance premiums.
What You Should Do About a Speeding Ticket
Unlawful Speed | Speeding Offenses
| Type of Offense | Florida Statute | Moving Violation Points |
| Speeding Exceeding Maximum Limit | 316.183(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
| Speeding Posted Zone Municipal Street | 316.189(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
| Speeding Posted Zone County Road | 316.189(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
| Speeding Posted Zone Interstate | 316.187(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
| Speeding Posted Zone State Road | 316.187(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
| Too Fast for Conditions | 316.183(4) | 3 points upon conviction |
Speeding School Zone | 316.1895 | 3 points upon conviction |
Speeding Work Zone | 316.183(6) | 3 points upon conviction |
Traffic Control Device & Sign Violations
Disregarded Traffic Control Device Running Red Light | 316.074(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Failure to Obey Stop Sign | 316.123(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
Turning Violations
Improper U-Turn | 316.1515 | 3 points upon conviction |
Disobeyed Device at Intersection re: Turns | 316.151(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Turned Left from Wrong Lane | 316.151(1)b | 3 points upon conviction |
Turned left in Front of Approaching Traffic | 316.122 | 3 points upon conviction |
Turned When Unsafe | 316.151(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Improper Turn at Intersection | 316.151(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Turned Right from Wrong Lane | 316.15(1)a | 3 points upon conviction |
Right of Way / Failure to Yield Violations
Failure to Yield Approaching Intersection | 316.121(1)(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
Failure to Yield at Intersection | 316.123(3) | 3 points upon conviction |
Failure to Yield Entering Highway | 316.1259(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Failure to Yield to Emergency Vehicle | 316.1269(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Failure to Yield at Four-Way Stop | 316.123(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
Lane Violations
Failure to Drive Within Single Lane | 316.089(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Improper Lane Change | 316.085(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Improper Lane Change-Pulling in front of Vehicle | 316.085(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
Driving on Wrong Side of Road | 316.081 | 3 points upon conviction |
Miscellaneous Moving Violations
Careless Driving | 316.1925(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Reckless Driving (Criminal Offense) | 316.192(1) | 4 points upon conviction |
Passing Stopped School Bus | 316.172(1)a | 4 points upon conviction |
Improper Backing | 316.1985(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Following too Closely | 316.0895(1) | 3 points upon conviction |
Unlawful Crossing of Median Strip | 316.090(2) | 3 points upon conviction |
Florida Driver’s License Suspension Point System
Number of Points | Within Period of Time | Length of Suspension |
12 Points | Within 12 Months | 30 Days Suspension |
18 Points | Within 18 Months | 3 Months Suspension |
24 Points | Within 36 Months | 1 Year Suspension |
*Fifteen Traffic Offenses | Within 5 years | Declared Habitual Traffic Offender by DHSMV 5 Year Suspension |
How to Avoid Getting a Traffic Ticket in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida
Traffic Ticket Attorney Tips to improve your odds:
- Pull over quickly and safely. Turn off your ignition, roll your window down and keep your hands clearly visible on the steering wheel. Retrieve your license, registration and proof of insurance only after the officer makes the request. Never get out of the car unless instructed to do so. The police officer will appreciate your cooperation and breathe easier for his safety. These actions will likely set a positive tone for the rest of the traffic stop.
- Don’t be a roadside lawyer. Concentrate on saying as little as possible. This is not the time to be confrontational or argumentative. Be polite and respectful at all times. When asked why you think you were pulled over, it is perfectly acceptable to respond, “I don’t know.”
- Ask for a warning. You have nothing to lose. The officer might be inclined to “cut you a break” if you’ve been courteous and not made his job more difficult. Verbal and written warnings are routinely issued by law enforcement and never appear on your permanent driving record.
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