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When Can a Traffic Offense Lead to an Arrest and Conviction?

On Behalf of | Nov 11, 2019 | Firm News, Traffic Violations

traffic violation defense lawyer marlton nj

Severity of Traffic Offenses

Different traffic violations could cause a person to get charged with a misdemeanor or even a felony, but it depends on the scenario. If an individual does get charged with a felony due to a traffic offense, they are looking at the possibility of dealing with some major consequences that could include losing their ability to drive and spending several years behind bars. It all starts with tickets that are handed out by officers when a person makes a poor decision on the road. However, things can quickly spiral out of control.

Understanding the Charges

When a person does something wrong on the road, such as driving way above the speed limit, they might get pulled over by an officer and receive a ticket for not following the rules. However, situations like this can escalate when someone’s property gets damaged and people are involved in accidents. For example, a speeding driver might only get a ticket, but a speeding driver that causes a major accident could end up behind bars for his or her reckless driving. Individuals can receive more than just a traffic ticket if they are driving under the influence as well, even if they did not cause harm to anyone at that moment.

When Does Misdemeanor Turn into a Felony?

Being charged with a misdemeanor is bad enough, but the charges can be upgraded to felony charges when the driver is being aggressive or doing things that can easily cause bodily harm to other people. Someone who runs directly through a red light could receive a misdemeanor charge, but the charge would likely be upgraded to a felony charge if that driver ran through the light on purpose while trying to hit someone due to road rage. More charges are added on when a person drives without a license or hits a person and drives away without stopping and calling for help.

What Are Some of the Worst Violations?

The worst violations often occur when a person gets behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Those that are under the influence are not in the right state of mind and are not coherent enough to properly operate a vehicle without putting themselves and other drivers at serious risk. Someone who chooses to get behind the wheel while under the influence could cause an accident that leads to serious injuries and even death. Different injuries can occur as a direct result of a car accident, including spinal cord injuries and blunt force trauma. Some people recover while others suffer from permanent injuries that change their way of life.

Getting Professional Legal Advice

Someone who has been charged with a serious traffic offense should hire an attorney to provide legal guidance and support. The attorney would help with the defense to attempt to get the client out of the trouble that he or she is in. Even if it is not possible to get the client out of trouble due to the extent of the traffic violation and the evidence that is stacked against them, the attorney will still put as much effort into the case as possible to try negotiating and getting the sentence lowered.

Contact an Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer About Your Traffic Violation Today!

Were you arrested or charged with a crime in New Jersey? The consequences of a conviction could be severe, leaving you with a permanent criminal record and possibly even sending you to jail. That is why you need to speak with a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible about your case. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen R. Piper have successfully represented clients in Camden County, Burlington County, Gloucester County, Cumberland County and throughout South Jersey. Call 856-333-3586 or fill out the online contact form to schedule a consultation with a member of our legal team.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.

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