People usually disregard traffic tickets as no big deal. After all, they’re things most people have had to deal with, or will deal with, at some point in their lives. If you a good driver, you probably haven’t had to deal with many of them, and thus a Springfield traffic ticket isn’t too likely to be detrimental to your future goals and dreams. That said, there are some people who simply can’t afford to have another traffic ticket on their record.
Traffic tickets can seriously affect those with low incomes, and this is especially true if they have been convicted of theft or failure to pay any number of fines in the past. There is a compounding effect that happens here. Sure, you personally might not think a $100 traffic ticket is worst thing in the world, but there are people at points in their life where this is not only highly detrimental to their short and long-term plans, but takes a massive toll on their insurance rates as well. A small Springfield traffic ticket to some may mean jail time to others due to the amount of priors on their record, and bail will likely be set a price that they can’t pay. In these cases it’s usually a matter of weeks or months before they’re free.
Now, let’s consider what they are facing once they are free: more fines, the inability to pay them off, and thus further arrest warrants.
Circumstances in which a Springfield traffic ticket can be highly detrimental to your future
If you have many prior chargers and fines, a traffic ticket is going to have a much greater impact on your ability to pay off your debts, and on achieving future goals.
There is also the case of alcoholism and drug addiction which can make getting out of this vicious circle far more difficult. The money that one could be spending on paying off their debts and charges accrued through Springfield traffic tickets, is instead spent on various substances. Not only does this make it difficult or even impossible to pay off these charges, it often creates further problems in cases of additional DWI charges and fines.
Finally, there’s the severity of the crime. Not all Springfield traffic tickets are created equal. Running a stop sign is one thing, leaving the scene of an accident is another. Even if you don’t have many priors and have a reasonably stable income, a serious offense like leaving the scene of an accident can greatly impact your ability to afford not only bills, but to save for future plans and goals.
Issued a traffic ticket: what are my options?
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that traffic tickets are not likely to affect you much in any way for at least 2 weeks after they’ve been issued. So, you have some time to relax and think about what you’re going to do. It’s silly to think about storming into a courtroom and demanding it be dismissed due to it being issued unjustly. These are indulgent fantasies that most of us entertain in the heat of the moment after being issued the ticket, but later on, once the emotions have subsided and reason is allowed to become primary again, we begin to consider our options with a more rational approach.
Once issued a Springfield traffic ticket, you have two options available:
- Paying the ticket – Many people find this to be the quickest and easiest solution. If you decide to pay the ticket, you should do so within the issued due date, otherwise late fees will begin to build up, and your problems will only get worse.
- Fighting the ticket – If you decide to go this route, you should know that it’s almost never a good idea to do so by yourself. The vast majority of people don’t have the knowledge, training, or experience to fight a traffic ticket in court, or any other legal offense for that matter. As a matter of fact, even most professional attorneys end up hiring another attorney to represent them if they end up in legal trouble. The reason for this is that they (and the judge) sees the importance of having an objective third party there to represent them. It’s always a good thing to have someone there whose judgement isn’t clouded by emotion.
The attorneys in Springfield are the experts you can rely on to give you professional representation on fighting your traffic ticket. Over the years, we’ve fought numerous traffic tickets in Springfield with a high record of success. Often times, it’s as easy as giving us your traffic ticket information and allowing us to take care of the rest.
Of course, you have to weigh your options and decide which route is the best for you to take considering your current financial and legal situation.
Common traffic tickets in Springfield that we fight
Some of the most common traffic tickets that we fight include:
- Fleeing the scene of an accident
- Failure to provide car insurance
- Providing false information while applying for a driver’s license
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Failure to file an accident report
- Refusal to take a drug or alcohol test
- Driving with a revoked or suspended license
Any of these offenses can take a major toll on your future plans and endeavors. They can result in the accumulation of points on your record and vastly increase your insurance rates, which can take a huge toll on your monetary situation in the long-term. Insurance companies increase insurance rates due to traffic violations because they see you as an increased insurance risk. So, not only is there a risk of monetary consequences from the state due to traffic violations, but there’s also an increase in “fines” from your insurance company. For many people, this increase in insurance rates just isn’t something they are going to be able to afford.
Fortunately, we can fight them for you on your behalf, helping to keep points off your license and keep your insurance rates as low as possible.