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Indiana Traffic Lawyers

Traffic Ticket Attorneys Serving Hamilton County and Madison County

It is almost impossible to avoid getting pulled over at some point in your life. There will come a time where you accidentally break a law because you are not paying close enough attention to the road. This situation could result in you being handed a ticket or being charged with a more serious traffic offense. Your next step should be to call a traffic lawyer at SDHMR Law Group, LLP. We are here to review the facts of your case and advise you on the best next steps. We can represent you in fighting unfair tickets and keeping your driving record as clean as possible. If a conviction is unavoidable, we will do everything in our power to mitigate the civil and criminal penalties.

To learn more about how we can help when you are facing a traffic violation, call a traffic court lawyer at SDHMR Law Group, LLP at 317-550-5339, or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Speeding

It is illegal to drive faster the statutory speed limit for an area. If an officer finds you are speeding, whether you are driving five mph over the posted limit or racing through snow-filled streets, you may face a speeding ticket.

If you choose to simply pay the ticket, which is equivalent of pleading guilty, it will result in fines and driver’s license points. Up to 15 mph over leads to two points, between 16 and 25 mph leads to four points, and more than 25 mph over results in six points on your license. Depending on your driving record, this could have little effect on you. However, if you have paid or been found guilty of multiple traffic offenses in the past, then these additional license points could be meaningful and lead to more significant consequences, such as a driver’s license suspension.

When facing a speeding ticket, it is best to speak with a speeding ticket lawyer before deciding what to do. There are often ways of contesting a speeding ticket, including challenging how the officer measured your speed or proving how fast you were moving was reasonable for the circumstances. A traffic lawyer from SDHMR Law Group, LLP may be able to establish that the police officer guessed at how fast you were going or was using negligently-maintained equipment.

Running a Red Light

Per Indiana Code (IC) §9-21-8-41, if you fail to abide by a traffic control signal such as by driving through a stop sign or red light without stopping, you commit a traffic infraction. A ticket for this offense can lead to fines and driver’s license points.

To be ticketed for running a red light, an officer must have witnessed your illegal maneuver. Indiana does not have red light or speed cameras in place, so you will not find yourself facing a red light camera ticket unless you venture into Illinois. In Chicago, the suburbs, and other towns, there are numerous red light cameras, and they are strictly enforced.

Reckless Driving

Driving recklessly in Indiana can lead to misdemeanor charges instead of an infraction. The difference between the two is that misdemeanors can result in jail time, while infractions do not.

Under IC §9-21-8-52, reckless driving includes:

Driving at unreasonably high or low speeds that endanger the safety or property of others, or blocks the flow of traffic
Passing a vehicle from behind while your vision is obstructed for a distance of less than 500 feet ahead
Driving in and out of a line of traffic
Speeding up or refusing to give a portion of the road to a driver trying to pass you

If an officer believes your actions behind the wheel were reckless and put others in danger, then you will be charged with a class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and fines reaching $500. If you cause property damage, it is a class B misdemeanor. This can be penalized with 180 days in jail and fines up to $1,000. If your actions resulted in anyone else getting hurt, you will face a class A misdemeanor, punishable with up to one year in jail and fines reaching $5,000.

You can also be charged with reckless driving under this statute if you recklessly pass a school bus that is stopped with its stop signal extended. This is a class B misdemeanor, unless you caused someone harm, and then it is a class A misdemeanor.

If property damage or bodily injuries are part of your reckless driving ticket, then in addition to potential jail time, fines, and license points, your driver’s license may be suspended for up to one year. Considering the serious consequences of this offense, you should fight it. A traffic ticket lawyer from SDHMR Law Group, LLP is here to help. We will review all of the facts of your case to determine your strongest defense.

Aggressive Driving

Per IC §9-21-8-55, you can be charged with aggressive driving if, during one episode of driving, you commit at least three of the following traffic violations:

Following too closely
Unsafe operation of a vehicle
Overtaking another vehicle on the right by driving off the roadway
Unsafe stopping or slowing
Unnecessary sounding of the horn
Failure to yield
Failure to obey a traffic control device
Driving at an unsafe speed
Repeatedly flashing headlights

If you knowingly and intentionally drive aggressively to harass or annoy someone, then this offense is a class A misdemeanor. If you drive aggressively in a work zone, you may face a felony offense.

Whenever you are accused of aggressive driving, you need to contact a traffic violation lawyer at SDHMR Law Group, LLP. With aggressive driving being a class A misdemeanor, you could face up to one year in jail. This is something we will fight for you to avoid, either through getting the ticket dismissed, proving your innocence, or seeking alternative penalties. For help with your case, call a traffic lawyer from our firm today. 317-550-5339.

Indiana Driver’s License Points System

One of the many reasons your driver’s license may be suspended is through accumulating too many license points. Every traffic violation ticket or charge you are found guilty of puts points on your license. The number of points ranges per violation. Some are as few as two points, while others are as much as eight points. Points for each violation remain on your record for two years. If you accumulate a certain number of points, there are consequences, including probation and the following driver’s license suspensions:

14-18 points – 12 months of probation
20 points – one-month suspension
22 points – two-month suspension
24 points – three-month suspension
26 points – four-months suspension
28 points – five-month suspension
30 points – six-month suspension
32 points – seven-month suspension
34 points – eight-month suspension
36 points – nine-month suspension
38 points – 10-month suspension
40 points – 11-month suspension
42 points or more – 12-month suspension

In order to get your license back, you may have to submit to a new driving exam or complete a driver improvement course. The improvement course is also a way to voluntarily improve your record. Completion can result in up to four points being removed.

To learn how you can fight against a license suspension because of too many driving record points, contact a suspended license attorney at SDHMR Law Group, LLP today at 317-550-5339. If we are unable to get your license back and you are facing a lengthy suspension, we can discuss specialized driving privileges (SDP). If you need to be able to drive to get to and from work, school, or medical appointments, or to take care of your children, then we can file a petition for SDP. Since whether or not you obtain driving privileges is up to the judge’s discretion, it is important to work with an Anderson traffic lawyer who has a good relationship with the local courts.

Driving While License Is Suspended

If you are pulled over and the officer determines your driver’s license is currently suspended or revoked, then you will be charged with an offense. Under IC §9-24-19-1, a first-time driving while suspended ticket is a class A infraction. However, if you do it again within 10 years, you will be charged with a class A misdemeanor.

The charges become more serious if you cause anyone harm. If you knowingly drive on a suspended or revoked license and cause someone else bodily injuries, you face a level 6 felony, punishable by up to two and a half years of imprisonment and fines reaching $10,000. If you intentionally drive on a suspended or revoked license and you kill someone, you will be charged with a level 5 felony, which can be penalized with up to six years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.

If you are ticketed for driving on a suspended or revoked license, do not hesitate to contact a suspended license attorney. A traffic lawyer at SDHMR Law Group, LLP is ready to help you fight this ticket and avoid additional civil and criminal penalties. Contact us at 317-550-5339.

Who Is a Habitual Traffic Violator?

Indiana’s habitual traffic violator (HTV) law can result in harsh penalties if you get too many traffic violations within 10 years, including:

If you obtain 10 individual judgments against you for traffic violations within 10 years, your driver’s license is suspended for five years.
If you obtain two judgments within 10 years and one of the judgments was for a serious traffic offense that caused another person’s death, you face a 10-year license suspension.
If you obtain three judgments within 10 years and they are all serious traffic offenses, such as operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI), driving with a suspended license, reckless driving, or an offense that causes property damage, then your license will be suspended for 10 years.
If you obtain two judgments within 10 years for OWIs resulting in death, you are penalized with a lifetime forfeiture of your license.

If you are a habitual traffic offender caught driving while your license is suspended, then you may lose your license for a longer period of time or for the rest of your life, depending on whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony. To avoid these harsh suspensions, call a traffic lawyer from SDHMR Law Group, LLP today for help. 317-550-5339.

Let a Traffic Violation Attorney Fight for You

It can be frustrating to get pulled and ticketed. The last thing you want is for a few additional points to force you to take a driver’s improvement course or lose your license. At SDHMR Law Group, LLP, we understand traffic tickets bring up all manner of emotions and we are here to help. Not enough people fight unfair tickets that hurt their driving record. We will review your situation and advise you on how we can fight your ticket in court. Contact us online, or call (765) 313-7092 to schedule a free consultation.