CIVIL TRAFFIC CITATIONS

Traffic Ticket Lawyer for St. Petersburg & Clearwater

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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