Rock Hill Traffic Violations Lawyers
If you get a ticket for speeding or another traffic violation in Rock Hill, you need to see it as more than a minor inconvenience. If you are found guilty, the violation could add points to your record and jeopardize your driver’s license. Your insurance rates could go up, too. So, before you admit guilt and pay the ticket, talk with a Rock Hill traffic law attorney instead. You may be surprised at how many other options you have. Contact our Rock Hill traffic violation & speeding ticket lawyers today.
The law offices of McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC are a long-time Rock Hill law firm. We have operated out of our office on Saluda Street since 1979 and made many trips to the Rock Hill Municipal Court and York County Magistrate Court on behalf of our clients. Our traffic ticket attorneys have worked with locals, out-of-staters and commercial drivers. In most cases, our clients don’t even need to come to court. We handle it all from start to finish and keep you updated at every stage.
We are known in Rock Hill for being trusted advisers and skilled litigators. You can count on us to give you honest advice without the sugar coating and to tirelessly pursue the best outcome for you. Don’t wait to take action. Contact our criminal defense law firm and get started on your defense.
Take a Close Look at Your Traffic Ticket
As you get ready to deal with your traffic ticket, you should take a moment to look over it. The Uniform Traffic Ticket is an important piece of paper. It formally accuses you of an offense. It also allows a Municipal Court or Magistrate Court to assume jurisdiction over you and your case – regardless of whether you are a local or out-of-state resident.
Here are a few basic things you should look for in a traffic ticket:
- Driver identity – The driver is the one charged with the offense and the one whose driver’s license points and insurance rates are at risk. The ticket lists the driver’s name, address and license number and whether the driver has a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
- Car owner identity – The ticket also describes the car and lists the name and address of the car owner. The owner’s insurance could go up if the ticketed driver is on the owner’s insurance policy. So, this is a key piece of information.
- Officer identity – The ticket has the officer’s name and agency such as the Rock Hill Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office or S.C. Highway Patrol. It should also have the officer’s badge number.
- Traffic violation – The alleged traffic violation (and statute violated) appears in the center of the ticket. Typically, if the violation is speeding, it will include the alleged speed and speed zone (such as “50/35”). It also will list the date, time and weather conditions.
- Court information – Most importantly, the ticket will list the Municipal or Magistrate Court, court location and date and time for your court appearance. You need to talk with a lawyer before this date arrives.
Whatever you do, don’t lose, throw away or ignore your ticket. If you miss your court date or fail to address the ticket, it could come back to haunt you.
How Can a Rock Hill Speeding Ticket Affect Your Driver’s License?
If you are convicted of a traffic violation in South Carolina, you will get points added to your driver’s license record. If you have an out-of-state driver’s license, your South Carolina conviction will add points to that record, too. (See the Driver License Compact.) You need to pay attention to those points.
A single violation over a span of many years probably won’t do much damage. However, multiple violations within a short period of time could put your driving privileges in jeopardy. If you accumulate 12 points, your license will be suspended. Points for some of the most common traffic violations in South Carolina are:
| Traffic Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Hit-and-run (property damage only) | 6 |
| Reckless driving | 6 |
| Passing a stopped school bus | 6 |
| Disregarding traffic signal | 4 |
| Failure to give / improper signal | 4 |
| Following too closely | 4 |
| Passing unlawfully | 4 |
| Failure to yield right of way | 4 |
| Defective tail light / improper lights | 2 |
| Driving unsafe vehicle | 2 |
| Driving in improper lane | 2 |
If you pick up a speeding ticket in Rock Hill or the surrounding area, the points you face will depend on how fast you were allegedly going and what the conditions were. The points are:
| Speeding Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| 25 mph or more above the posted limit | 6 |
| More than 10 mph, less than 25 mph 4 | 4 |
| Driving too fast for conditions, over 10 mph | 4 |
| Driving too fast for conditions, 10 mph or less | 2 |
If you reach 12 points, and your license is suspended, then you cannot drive until the suspension is cleared. (For instance, you may take a driver education course which shaves four points off your record.) If you are caught driving with a suspended (or revoked) license, you can face a criminal charge and see more time added to your suspension. So, if you have any concerns about your driving privileges after you get a ticket in Rock Hill, call a traffic violation attorney from McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC right away.
Can a Speeding Ticket in Rock Hill Impact Your Auto Insurance?
A traffic ticket in South Carolina may affect your auto insurance rates, too. It will depend on the type of violation. It will also depend on your driving record. If you get charged with speeding 25 mph or more above the posted limit, for instance, or if you have collected three speeding tickets in the past one to two years, your rates may go up – a lot. Don’t hesitate to talk to our speeding ticket lawyers today.
The bottom line: If your driving record shows that you are a “high-risk” driver, you will pay “high-risk” rates. You may lose your auto insurance coverage altogether. According to Insurance.com, here are average rate increases for common traffic violations:
| Traffic Violation | Rate Increases |
|---|---|
| Reckless driving | 22% |
| Driving without a license | 18% |
| Careless driving | 16% |
| Speeding | 13% |
| Speeding – 30 mph or more | 15% |
| Speeding – 15 to 29 mph | 12% |
| Speeding – 1 to 14 mph | 11% |
| Improper passing | 14% |
| Tailgating | 13% |
| Failure to yield | 9% |
| Seat belt violation | 3% |
Whether your premium payments increase will also depend on how frequently your insurer reviews your record. It could be every few months or every year, or it could be every few years when you are up for renewal. Your speeding ticket lawyer from McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC can review your driving record and insurance policy and advise you on how to deal best with your current traffic violation so that your rates don’t go up.
Our Traffic Violation Attorneys Can Help You
At McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC, our ticket attorneys measure their experience in decades. They have a deep background in dealing with speeding tickets and tickets for other types of violations on behalf of our firm’s clients in Rock Hill. Contact us today about your traffic ticket, and we can put that experience to work for you right away. For instance, we can:
- Review all of your information – The attorney can examine your ticket, driving record, and insurance policy and give you a clear picture of how the ticket may affect your driving privileges and insurance rates.
- Pursue your options – Instead of pleading guilty to the offense, you may have other available options. For instance, you may be eligible to plead to another offense such as a non-moving violation (which may minimize the impact on your insurance rates), or you may be able to enroll in a driver education course. We will explore every opportunity.
- Fight the ticket – Depending on the facts of your case, your best option may be to contest the ticket in court. For instance, you may be able to challenge whether the radar gun that “clocked” you speeding was properly calibrated.
- Make the situation as convenient as possible for you – We can handle all communication with you in person, by phone or by e-mail – whichever works best for you. Additionally, we can appear on your behalf in court (which may be highly convenient if you live in another state or if you are a busy commercial driver).
Contact Our Rock Hill Traffic Violation Lawyers Today
If you get a speeding ticket in Rock Hill or get cited for any other traffic violation, the worst thing you can do is to ignore it. Instead, you should act quickly and get help from an experienced traffic ticket lawyer from McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC. We will protect your rights and pursue all options available to you. Our goal will be to keep points off your driver’s license record and keep your insurance rates from going up. To learn more, call our Rock Hill office or reach us online today.
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