Deciding to hire a traffic attorney should be a relatively simple decision. You weigh the pros and cons and choose the one which makes the most sense, not just financially, but also the most favorable to your reputation. However, 95 percent of those faced with the decision make the wrong choice.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics
Only five percent of traffic ticket recipients choose to hire a traffic attorney and challenge their ticket in court. Now, you probably think that makes sense because lawyers are expensive. That assumption would be incorrect. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) will verify it. Their website states of the five percent who hire a traffic attorney to represent them in traffic court, 95 percent have their ticket reduced or dismissed.
Short of a dismissal, possibly the best thing about hiring a traffic attorney is you will not have to appear in court. When your ticket gets dismissed, that means there are no Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) points, no fine, no record, and most importantly (financially) no increased insurance premium. The average Californian pays $1960 per year. An 18-24-year-old will pay much more than that, and at age 40-50 you will pay a little less.
The High Cost of Increased Auto Insurance
If you lose your “good driver’s discount,” which is 20 percent, the infraction would put you in a higher risk category; therefore, at renewal, your premium would be even higher. Most drivers with a minor infraction would pay $500 more per year than before their infraction if they were not eligible for Traffic Violator’s School.
The DMV will assess one NOTS point for the conviction or paid fine. That scar will stay on your record for 36-39 months. So, you will pay about $1500, plus the fine because you assumed a traffic attorney was too expensive. I’m sure you would agree you could get a traffic attorney to resolve your traffic violation for much less than $2000.00.
The No-Cost Dismissal
Now, what if the traffic attorney was able to get your ticket dismissed as the BJS stated? 95 percent of the time this is what happens. You retain your clean record and reputation.
According to Dartmouth University, “Decision making is the process of making choices by identifying a decision, gathering information, and assessing alternative resolutions.” Make the right decision, consult a traffic attorney about your ticket.
Consult with a Traffic Attorney in Bakersfield, CA
Call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español (661) 349-9755. For the best traffic attorney in Bakersfield, give us a call.
Read what Eric N. had to say about the legal service he received from us, “I drive a RED Shelby GT350. It gets a fair amount of attention, and this includes the excellent men and women of law enforcement here in Bakersfield. As a result, I picked up a ticket recently, and I was going to be on vacation on the appearance date. So, I contacted the excellent attorneys at Bigger and Harman. Attorney Bigger got me off with no points, no driving school and no spending a day at court.”
When you hire us to help you resolve a ticket, we cannot promise you that your ticket will get dismissed or reduced to a no-point violation. We can, however, promise you will not have to go to court, and we will give you the best results possible.
Email, attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com or send us a personal message (pm) on Facebook.
References:
The 2019CA Driver Handbook .pdf
The Bureau of Justice Statistics website