Traffic Law Advice

Passing through a steady red light constitutes a three-point violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law section 1111(d). The fines for this ticket are especially harsh. The first red light conviction will cost the motorist $190, plus the state surcharge of $88 (added to every moving violation in Traffic Violations Bureau courts). A second red light conviction in the same eighteen-month window doubles the fine, and a third will cost the motorist almost $1000 in fines to DMV. 

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Elements Of A Red Light Ticket

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Fortunately for the accused, a red light violation requires numerous legal elements that must be established by the charging police officer or prosecutor. The state must make clear where the motorist should have stopped, for example, and must testify in detail to the lights -- among other details. A skilled attorney can win your red light ticket on legal motion if one of these elements is missing or unclear. 

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Red Light Camera Tickets

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A red light camera ticket is very different from a red light ticket. Red light camera tickets are the equivalent to parking tickets. They do not result in points on your license and have lower fines. Moreover, these tickets are disputed not in traffic court, but via mail.

 

If you have a red light camera ticket, you do not need to contact an attorney. Just pay the ticket or dispute it on your own. The stakes are not high enough to merit hiring an attorney, and most attorneys will decline to take your case. 

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A Traffic Attorney Can Win Your Red Light Ticket

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The way to win your red light case is through legal motions. Your attorney knows how to win red light tickets. While no ticket is easy to win in New York City, red lights are dismissed at a higher rate than most other infractions, due to the complex testimony required to establish the charge.  Consider consulting with a traffic attorney to fight your red light ticket.