Traffic Tickets/DUI Tickets
When charged with a traffic offense, we suggest you consider attempting to reach a plea arrangement with the Assistant District Attorney rather than immediately pleading guilty (which is the result if the ticket is paid and mailed, as the officer may have suggested). Whether you attempt this on your own or hire an attorney to represent you, in many cases, you can diminish the harmful effects to your insurance premiums and/or your driving record.In such a plea arrangement, generally the Assistant District Attorney will agree to allow you to plead guilty to a lesser charge (for speeding tickets, to a speed less than what you were ticketed for) in order to expedite your case through the system. If you are willing to waive your right to a trial, this plea arrangement could prevent your insurance premiums from significantly increasing, and may also result in fewer points on your driving record.
While you may represent yourself in this matter, hiring an attorney has many benefits. Not only will you not have to miss work or school to spend hours at the courthouse, you also will be assured that our firm has handled hundreds of these cases with satisfactory results. While we cannot guarantee an outcome, we strive to minimize and/or prevent any negative effects that may result from the citation.
Your ability to drive and have affordable insurance rates is very important to you. We suggest that you let an experienced trial lawyer handle your traffic matter. To hire our firm to represent you, please call (919) 380-1001 to speak to an attorney or one of our knowledgeable staff.
A good rule of thumb is that one drink is metabolized to the point of elimination from the blood stream each hour. Therefore, typically, if you have one drink, waiting one hour before driving is a good idea. Other factors influence and can increase or decrease one’s BAC such as fatigue, having eaten, and the type of drink it is, so the best way to avoid a DWI is to avoid driving after drinking anything at all.
NC SAFE DRIVER INCENTIVE PLAN (SDIP) POINT CHECKLIST
If you are convicted of more than one violation arising from the same incident you will receive points for each violation.
1. Manslaughter or negligent homicide
2. Pre-arranged highway racing or lending car for such purpose
3. Driving with blood-alcohol level of .08% or more (DWl)
4. Driving a commercial vehicle with blood-alcohol level of .04% or more*
5. Hit and run involving bodily injury or death
6. Transporting illegal intoxicating liquor for sale
*There will be no points where the license was revoked under GS 20-16.5
and the driver is subsequently acquitted of the DWI that caused the revocation.
7. Non-prearranged highway racing or lending a vehicle for that purpose.
8. Speeding to elude arrest (AT ANY SPEED!!!)
9. Driving during a period of revocation or suspension of license or registration.
10. Hit and run driving involving property damage only.
11. Reckless driving.
12. Passing a stopped school bus while it is displaying its warning signs.
13. Speeding in excess of 75 mph where posted speed is less than 70 mph.
14. Speeding in excess of 80 mph where the posted speed is 70 mph or greater.
15. Driving after consuming alcohol or drugs when driver is under 21 years old.
16. Illegal passing.
17. Following too closely.
18. Driving on wrong side of road.
19. Speeding more than 10 mph over posted speed limit, when driver’s speed was in excess of 55 mph but less than 76 mph.
20. Speeding 10 mph or less in a posted speed zone of 55 mph or greater.*
*These points will not apply if driver has had no other moving traffic violation during the
preceding three years. If the driver enjoys this waiver, and then is convicted on another
moving violation within three years, he then gets the points both from the new conviction
and the waived conviction. The first PJC received will not count as a conviction and will not
affect this waiver. THIS WAIVER DOES NOT APPLY WHEN THE SPEEDING IS IN A POSTED
SCHOOL ZONE.
21. Speeding 10 mph or less where the posted speed is less than 55 mph.*
22. Any other conviction of a moving violation. **
*See the waiver above under 20. It applies equally to this violation.
** The following are NOT considered moving violations:
a. Inadequate muffler or exhaust system
b. Improper lights or equipment (EXCEPT IMPROPER BRAKES which generates a point)
[Not Applicable in Wake County]
c. Failure to sign or display registration card
d. Failure to display license plates
e. Failure to display a current inspection certificate
f. Failure to have drivers’ license in possession (if a valid license is in existence)
g. Violation of a municipal or county ordinance