California Traffic Violations Attorney – Vehicle Code 42000 VC
Get Legal Representation From An Experienced Traffic Violations Attorney To Help You Avoid Serious Repercussions From Your Arrest
If an officer gives you a ticket for a serious traffic violation in California, you should consult with a criminal defense attorney that specializes in driving offenses right away. My Rights Law can defend you against these charges to help you avoid serious fines, jail time, and loss of driving privileges. To learn more about fighting California traffic tickets, reach out to My Rights Law by calling (888) 702-8882 or contacting us through our secure web form.
- 1. Traffic Tickets
- 2. Reckless Driving – Vehicle Code 23103(a) VC
- 3. Driving On A Suspended License – Vehicle Code 14601.1(a) VC
- 4. Driving Without A Driver’s License – Vehicle Code 12500(a) VC
- 5. Hit And Run – Vehicle Code 20002 VC
- 6. Vehicular Assault – Vehicle Code 245(a)(1) VC
- 7. Call My Rights Law California Traffic Violations Lawyers
Traffic Tickets
More traffic violation tickets equals more points with the DMV. The more points you glet, the bigger your problems become. The fines start becoming more expensive. Your possible sentencing times go up. Your insurance rates increase. Your driving record could be tarnished.
When you receive a traffic violation ticket, you have two choices. You can pay the ticket and allow your points to accumulate, or you can do the wise thing and hire a traffic violation lawyer to fight the ticket for you. Some of the traffic ticket violations we deal with include reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, driving without a driver’s license, hit and runs, vehicular assault, and many more. Please help us help you in fighting your traffic tickets.
Reckless Driving – Vehicle Code 23103(a) VC
Vehicle Code 23103(a) VC: In California if you drive on a public road[1], you can be charged with reckless driving if you are aware of a significant and unjustifiable risk of harming others and intentionally ignore that risk. Unlike a civil traffic infraction, reckless driving is a crime. You can be arrested and punished for violating the law.
A person convicted of reckless driving for the first time can face:
- Fines between $145 and $1,000,
- A jail sentence of up to 90 days,
- Car impoundment for up to 30 days, and
- Driver’s license suspension for up to a month.
For a person convicted of reckless driving for the second time, the Court can suspend their driving license for 60 days. For a person convicted of reckless driving for the third time, the Court can suspend their driver’s license for up to 6 months. Additionally, if you injure another person while driving recklessly, you can be sentenced to the county jail or the state prison for between 30 days and six months. You might also be fined between $220 and $1,000.
Driving On A Suspended License – Vehicle Code 14601.1(a) VC
Vehicle Code 14601(a) VC: In California you are not permitted to drive a motor vehicle after your driver’s license has been suspended. If you drive on a suspended license, the prosecutor can charge you with multiple misdemeanors.
To convict you for driving on a suspended license, the prosecutor must prove that you were driving a motor vehicle on a suspended license while knowing[2] that it was suspended. If you drive on a suspended license, it can be more challenging to reinstate your driver’s license.
A conviction for driving on a suspended license can cost you thousands of dollars. In some cases, you can be sentenced to months in the county jail. However, under certain circumstances, with the help of a lawyer, you can have your driver’s license reinstated or have your suspension shortened.
Driving Without A Driver’s License – Vehicle Code 12500(a) VC
Vehicle Code 125000(a) VC: In California you are not permitted to drive a vehicle on a public road without a valid driver’s license. A valid driver’s license must be:
- The proper license for the type of vehicle being operated,
- Issued in the state you reside, and
- Current (not expired).
If you wish to drive a regular car, you must have a driver’s license to drive a regular car. However, if you want to drive a semi-truck, you need a license that allows you to drive semi-trucks. You must also have a driver’s license from the state where you reside. The place you reside means your primary residence. If you have homes in more than one state, your primary residence is likely the one in which you spend more time. You must also ensure that your driver’s license is not expired to be considered valid.
If you do not comply with these three requirements, your driver’s license is considered invalid. If a police officer catches you driving without a valid driver’s license, you can be convicted of an infraction or a misdemeanor. If you receive an infraction, you can be fined up to $250[3]. If you are convicted of a misdemeanor, you may be fined $1,000, sentenced to 6 months to the county jail, be on three years of informal probation, and/or have your car impounded for 30 days.
Hit And Run – Vehicle Code 20002 VC
Vehicle Code 20002 VC: In California a hit and run is a situation when a driver of a motor vehicle is involved in a collision with another person’s property and then leaves the scene without providing their contact information to the property owner. If you injure a person while committing a hit and run violation, you can be convicted of either a misdemeanor or a felony[4], depending on the severity of the injury.
If you do not injure anyone while committing a hit and run, the Court can convict you with a misdemeanor. If the Court convicts you with a misdemeanor where no one was injured, the sentence can be up to 6 months in the county jail, and you may also have to pay a fine of up to $1,000. If the Court convicts you with a misdemeanor where another person was injured, the sentence can be up to one year in the county jail. You may also have to pay a fine between $1,000 and $10,000. If the Court convicts you with a felony, the sentence can be up to 4 years in the state prison, and you may have to pay a fine between $1,000 and $10,000.
Vehicular Assault – Vehicle Code 245(a)(1) VC
Vehicle Code 245(a)(1) VC: In California it is considered a crime to use your vehicle to intentionally cause harm to another person, even if you do not hurt the other person. There is no law that explicitly mentions vehicular assault, but California law makes it a crime to commit an assault with a deadly weapon.
In certain circumstances, a vehicle can be considered a deadly weapon. For example, everyone knows that if you hit someone with your car, the impact can potentially cause a significant bodily injury and/or death. In such a case, the vehicle can be considered a deadly weapon[5]. The prosecution can charge the crime as a felony depending on the circumstances. If convicted of a felony, the sentence can be up to 4 years in state prison.
Additionally, if the victim is a police officer or a firefighter, the length of your sentence can extend to 5 years. You can also be fined up to $10,000 in addition to other penalties. Furthermore, based on your criminal history, you may face formal probation.
Call My Rights Law California Traffic Violations Lawyers
The defense attorney you choose can make the difference between having criminal charges dismissed or being severely punished. My Rights Law’s strong team of criminal lawyers have the resources and experience that enable us to pursue difficult cases yielding favorable results. We protect our clients through our expertise in the law and extensive experience in handling all misdemeanor and felony criminal cases including, but not limited to, alcohol-related crimes, drug crimes, violent crimes, domestic violence, sex crimes, crimes against children, theft crimes, juvenile crime, gun charges, property crimes, cybercrimes, driving offenses, public safety crimes, federal crimes, financial crimes, crimes against the government, crimes against justice, and inchoate crimes. We also specialize in restraining orders, pretrial diversion programs, and expungements.
If you are charged with speeding, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, driving without a driver’s license, running a red light, a hit and run, a vehicular assault, and/or any other traffic violation, you should consult with a California traffic attorney for more information. My Rights Law‘s skilled traffic violation lawyers have defended countless people against hit and run charges. To learn more, reach out to My Rights Law by calling (888) 702-8882 or contacting us through our secure form.
FOOTNOTES
[1] CALCRIM No. 2200
[2] People v. Spence (2005) 125 Cal.App.4th 710
[3] Penal Code 19.8 PC
[4] California Vehicle Code 20002
[5] People v. Aguilar (1997) 16 Cal.4th 1023
