Contact us
Your License. Our Fight.
Get a free initial consultation for your traffic, criminal, and personal injury matters.
Free Consultation
(813) 276-6000
No matter how careful a driver is, they’ll likely get a traffic ticket at some point in their lifetime.
Some people see a ticket as a nuisance, but it can be a criminal offense. It’s scary to know a minor violation can lead to a criminal record. At a minimum, it can put points on a driver’s record or lead to a license suspension.
The thing is, traffic laws are confusing. Drivers can get different types of tickets for different reasons. That is why it’s extremely important to know Florida driving laws to stay out of trouble.
This article will explain the different types of traffic offenses that can get someone ticketed. Call (813) 276-6000 or contact Florida Ticket for a free consultation.
Popular driver violations include some called “buzzed driving. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles advises that this is legally the same as drunk driving.
People sometimes forget to be cautious about drinking and driving. It’s almost impossible for someone to tell if their blood alcohol is above the legal limit, even if they feel fine.
This is especially common on holidays or around big sports events. Instead of driving after a few beers, a designated driver is always a safer bet. A DUI could cause someone to lose their license completely.
Driving without a valid driver’s license in Florida is a frequent traffic offense. Oftentimes, there’s no bad intention behind the driver’s actions. They may not even realize that their license isn’t valid.
Common scenarios include driving with a temporarily suspended license or being stopped by a police officer without a license. Or the driver may never have been issued a driver’s license in the first place.
For this offense, the driver often has to appear in court, so it’s a serious violation. If they don’t appear, the court may issue a bench warrant for their arrest.
On Florida’s long list of traffic violations is an action the typical driver often does without thinking. This is passing a vehicle in a no-passing zone. Everyone knows it can be frustrating to get stuck behind a slow driver. However, it’s not always the best idea to drive around the vehicle.
In fact, doing this in specific areas or no-passing zones can get a driver a traffic ticket. If the line on the road is solid, it indicates it’s not safe to overtake a car. Dotted lines indicate that it’s allowed.
To protect children, there’s a whole category of the law dealing with school buses. Passing a school bus automatically triggers a fine.
This varies depending on which side of the bus the driver passes. The right-hand side of a bus is usually the side where children exit. Passing a Florida school bus on this side means a minimum fine of $265.
Since almost every driver has a cell phone, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that distracted driving is common. Traffic tickets for this phenomenon include violations of cell phone laws or texting while driving.
They also include any action that could potentially distract someone from operating a vehicle. It’s not hard to fall afoul of this law because distractions can take many forms. For example, putting on makeup or checking on a pet.
Everyone knows what to do at a red stop sign or a red traffic light. Still, every day a ticket is written for not stopping long enough. The act of slowing down and not coming to a complete stop is also known as a “rolling stop”.
A ticket may not be given on the spot. Sometimes a traffic camera will catch a driver in an intersection when he/she does not heed a stop sign.
Like rolling stops, running a red light frequently appears on Florida’s list of driving infractions. Failing to stop at a stop sign can also fall under this type of offense.
This dangerous action can cause a serious accident, so the penalties reflect that. Florida law states that even a yellow light indicates it’s not safe for vehicles to enter an intersection.
Another serious traffic offense is leaving the scene of an accident. This is almost always a bad idea, but especially so if someone was injured. Drivers have certain duties after an accident, so a hit-and-run can lead to severe penalties.
In general, anyone involved in an accident should stay at the scene. They should also wait for the police and get medical help for anyone who needs it. Often, this doesn’t happen, or a driver may not realize they’ve hit someone. For example, a driver could have hit a parked vehicle, which damages property but doesn’t mean anyone is hurt.
Speeding is by far the most common cause of traffic tickets. This can be tricky because speed laws vary.
The speed limit can be one speed in a school zone, another on a state highway, and a different one on a residential street. If a driver is coming from one zone to another, they can easily break the speed law by not speeding up or slowing down.
Hopefully, this article has shed light on the different types of tickets available in Florida. No matter the offense, a driver should always seek professional advice.
Our firm defends drivers throughout Tampa, Brandon, Lutz, and all of Pinellas County in South Florida, including Hollywood and Fort Lauderdale, against traffic tickets, criminal traffic violations, and DUI cases.
If you get a ticket, contact a lawyer experienced in Florida traffic offenses or call (813) 276-6000 to get started today!
