(813) 252-1529Traffic Ticket Lawyer in Tampa
Helping You Fight a Ticket and Avoid Points on Your License
In 2024, the Florida Highway Patrol and local police agencies issued 1,878,962 tickets for noncriminal moving violations, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. That’s more than 5,100 tickets for moving violations every day in this state.
Nearly everyone who drives will eventually receive a traffic ticket, but that’s no reason to just give up without a fight. In fact, there are several very practical reasons for disputing a traffic ticket — like protecting your driving privilege and avoiding higher auto insurance rates.
Paying the fine is the expeditious way to handle a traffic ticket, but it isn’t the best way. When you pay a speeding ticket, it’s the legal equivalent of pleading guilty. You’ll have a conviction on your driving record and “points” on your driver’s license.
You have the right to challenge a traffic ticket, and the chances are good that you’ll be able to prevail. Keep reading, and you’ll learn more about how — and why — you should fight every traffic ticket.
If you’ve received a traffic ticket and are worried about the points on your license, call attorney Patrick B. Courtney today to find out how you can fight your ticket and get the legal help to do so.
How Does the Florida Point System Work for Traffic Tickets?
The first thing every Florida driver should know about traffic tickets in this state is that tickets mean “points” on your driver’s license, and if you accumulate enough points, your license will be suspended.
The point system assigns relative values to different traffic violations. Most speeding tickets put three points on your license, for example, but the more serious charge of reckless driving puts four points on your license. Points stay on a driver’s record for at least five years. If you compile:
- 12 points within 12 months, your driver’s license may be suspended for 30 days
- 18 points within 18 months, your driver’s license may be suspended for three months
- 24 points within 36 months, your driver’s license may be suspended for one year
In some cases, you’ll be able to avoid the points or lessen the penalties by going through a driver improvement course. Successful completion means you’re eligible for an 18 percent reduction in your fine. However, this is only available to those who properly notify the court that they want to use this option and who haven’t already taken the course five times. Using this option also means that you won’t be able to fight the ticket in court. However, you’ll pay “tuition” for the classes, and they will take a big chunk of your time. It’s better to fight the ticket.
The point system is one of the important reasons why you should contest every traffic ticket. Over time, if you lose track of the points on your license, you could abruptly lose your driving privileges. The five-year timeframe also means it takes a significant amount of time for points to fall off of your license. Even if you have gone months without any tickets, one infraction could cost you your license if you are close to the points total.
What Are Some of the Most Common Traffic Violations in Tampa, FL?
In Hillsborough County alone, there were 83,257 tickets for noncriminal moving violations in 2024. Here’s a brief look at some of the most common traffic violations in Florida.
Driving Without a License
Every Florida motorist must have a valid driver’s license. If you already accumulated too many points on your license and it was suspended, you are not legally allowed to drive. Doing so can come with steep penalties. For unlicensed drivers and drivers with suspended licenses, a first or second driving without a license offense is a misdemeanor punishable upon conviction with a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.
A third conviction for driving without a valid license is a felony conviction that may be penalized with a maximum fine of $5,000 and a maximum prison term of five years.
It’s never a good idea to drive without a license, and the best way to avoid this situation is to keep your license in the first place. Fighting traffic tickets with the help of an attorney can keep you from accumulating points and potentially losing your license.
Red Light and Stop Sign Violations
The most common noncriminal moving violation in Hillsborough County is running a red light camera, and this traffic offense made up approximately 34 percent of all tickets in 2024. Police officers aggressively enforce the rules about stop signs and red lights for one powerful reason. Traffic deaths and serious injuries happen when drivers illegally roll through stop signs and red lights.
However, if you are ticketed for running a stop sign or a red light, don’t pay the ticket. Fight it. If you admit guilt and pay the fine, three points will be placed against your driver’s license, and your auto insurance rates will climb. There are strategies your attorney can use to fight these tickets, whether you were caught on a red light camera violation or an officer witnessed you going through the red light and pulled you over.
Reckless Driving
If you operate a vehicle in a manner that shows disregard or negligence for your own safety and/or the safety of others, you may be ticketed for reckless driving. Depending on the details of the case, reckless driving may be charged as a felony or as a misdemeanor.
Most reckless driving convictions add four points to your license. A second-degree misdemeanor reckless driving conviction is punishable with a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail. A first-degree misdemeanor reckless driving conviction is punishable with a $1,000 fine and a year in jail.
However, drivers who receive a felony conviction for reckless driving may have to pay a $5,000 fine and serve up to five years in a Florida state prison.
Speeding
Speeding is the second most common traffic violation in Hillsborough County, with more than 21,000 speeding tickets issued in 2024. A speeding conviction in Florida can add either three or four points to your license: three points if you were driving less than 15 mph over the speed limit and four points if you drove more than 15 mph over the speed limit. What are the usual fines for Florida speeding tickets?
- If you’re stopped for driving 6 to 9 mph over the posted limit, the fine is $129.
- At 10 to 14 mph over the limit, the fine is $204.
- At 15 to 19 mph over the limit, the fine is $254.
- At 20 to 29 mph over the limit, the fine is $279.
If you are ticketed for speeding at 30 mph or more over the posted limit, you will face a mandatory court appearance. However, an attorney may be able to help you avoid this hearing. This level of speeding can also result in other violations, such as careless or reckless driving.
What Happens If You Lose Your License?
If your license is suspended because you’ve accumulated too many points, you may still have some options. In some cases, you can apply for a hardship license that allows you to drive for employment purposes only. This would allow you to drive to and from work, for example, but not to the store for groceries. To be eligible for a hardship license, you must also complete Advanced Driver Improvement school and pay a fee.
If you aren’t eligible for a hardship license or your suspension period is over and you’re ready to get your license back, you will also need to go through Advanced Driver Improvement school and pay all of the associated fees. If your license is revoked instead of suspended, you will need to apply for a new license, which may mean retaking your driver’s test.
How Can an Attorney Help You Fight a Traffic Ticket?
While it’s tempting to just pay your ticket and move on with your life, fighting a ticket has a decent chance of getting the ticket dismissed. This probability increases even more when Tampa traffic ticket lawyers are involved.
A traffic ticket attorney knows all of the rules regarding the various traffic violations and what strategies can be used to fight the ticket. They will also file all of the paperwork for you so that you can be sure it’s correct and complete and talk to the judge on your behalf at your hearing. Attorneys can often get tickets dismissed entirely or get infractions that have a high point value reduced. For example, an attorney may be able to get a ticket for reckless driving (four points) reduced to speeding or careless driving, which are both just three points.
Call a Tampa Traffic Violation Lawyer Today!
Tampa criminal justice attorney Patrick B. Courtney has more than 24 years of legal experience. He protects his clients’ legal rights and effectively fights traffic tickets on their behalf — at reasonable rates that anyone can afford.
Pat Courtney knows Tampa Bay’s traffic courts. He is a Tampa traffic ticket attorney who defends clients in Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Pinellas, Manatee, and Sarasota counties. To learn more about fighting a traffic ticket, call (813) 252-1529 or use the contact form on this website.
