Even the safest and most law abiding drivers can occasionally get a ticket. Perhaps you were in an unfamiliar area, where the speed limit suddenly dropped without you noticing it, or maybe you ran an unexpected stop sign in an unforeseen place. While getting the occasional ticket may not seem like a major calamity, it can dramatically impact your car insurance, resulting in higher premiums and the potential for cancellation of your policy. Even if you have a clean driving record, with no other tickets and no prior history of traffic violations, hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney is still in your best interests. Ensuring you get the best defense against even seemingly minor violations can save you money and prevent hassles in the long run.
The Effect One Ticket Can Have on Your Yearly Insurance Premiums
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South Carolina, like most states, has a points system for dealing with traffic violations. The type of violation dictates the number of points you receive, which show up on your driving record, and receiving too many points can result in a license suspension. According to the SC Department of Motor Vehicles , the system is designed to help drivers be conscious of and improve their driving records, while ensuring action is taken to educate repeat offenders and prevent them from harming themselves and others.
While one ticket may not seem like much of a big deal against an entire history of safe driving, it may still be enough for your insurance company to justify raising your rates. According to studies on car insurance rates conducted by Insurance.com , common driving infractions which appear on your driving record, such as speeding, improper passing, and failing to stop, can result in an increase in monthly or yearly premiums, depending on your insurance carrier. The following is the average amount your insurance is likely to increase for various infractions:
- Seat Belt Infractions: three percent;
- Failure to Yield: nine percent;
- Tailgating: 13 percent;
- Improper Turn or Passing: 15 percent;
- Speeding: up to 15 percent;
- Careless Operation: 16 percent; and
- Reckless Driving: 22 percent.
In addition to rate increases, even one or two prior traffic violations on your record could negatively impact any settlement offer you receive in the event of an accident.
How Our Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help
Regardless of whether you have one ticket or a background of driving infractions, hiring an attorney can help. Greenville attorney Lauren M. Taylor understands the significant financial impacts traffic violations can have. Our experienced Greenville, South Carolina criminal defense attorney provides trusted, professional legal representation to assist you in getting your traffic tickets reduced or dismissed. Do not underestimate the costs and impacts these tickets can have in the long run. Serving Greenville and the surrounding areas, call Lauren Taylor Law today to see how we can help you.
South Carolina divorce attorney Lauren Taylor practices family law in Charleston and Greenville. She graduated from the Charlotte School of Law, and has been practicing for more than ten years.
Since the firm’s inception in 2012, Mrs. Taylor has helped hundreds of people navigate the uncertainties surrounding the family and criminal court process.
She has cultivated a team that ensures each case has a strategy crafted specifically to the clients needs and desires.
Her commitment to top notch service has led her to open two additional offices in the low country where she now resides with her husband Michael and her golden retriever, Buster.