It’s common for people to scoff at the idea of contacting a criminal defense attorney after a police officer issues them a traffic citation. Many drivers in Maryland who have been accused of a traffic infraction simply pay the ticket rather than make an attempt to defend themselves.
Many Maryland drivers think of tickets as an expensive inconvenience rather than a major consequence. On its own, a single ticket really isn’t that concerning of an issue. However, multiple tickets can have a major impact on someone’s daily life, their career and their personal freedom.
The points that the state assigns to traffic tickets can eventually add up to cost a driver their license. Paying a ticket will result in the addition of points to someone’s record.
Maryland punishes repeat traffic offenders
Each ticket that someone received carries a set number of points, and those points will affect someone’s license for two years after a citation. The state will suspend someone’s license once they have between eight and 11 points on their license. Those with 12 more points will have their license revoked, meaning they will have to fully reapply for a new one when they qualify again.
Lower points can still lead to consequences. The state will send a warning letter to drivers with three or four points, while those with between five and seven points will need to enroll in a Driver Improvement Program to keep their driving privileges. The points on someone’s record will almost always lead to higher costs for liability insurance as well.
Fighting a ticket is often the only way to avoid those consequences
Drivers do often beat traffic tickets. A citation by a police officer is not a guarantee that someone will end up convicted of a traffic infraction. Many people are able to successfully defend themselves against a pending ticket and avoid the fine, as well as the potential licensing penalties. Those who learn more about the rules for Maryland traffic tickets will be in a better position to choose how to respond to a traffic stop.
Learning more about Maryland’s rules for traffic offenses and the numerous consequences that may result in the event of a conviction can help an alleged offender to make informed decisions about how to respond to their ticket.