By Fredrick P. Niemann, Esq. a New Jersey Traffic Ticket Attorney
One minute you’re cruising down the highway making great time, and the next you’re pulled over on the side of the road with the flashing lights of a police cruiser in your rear view mirror. Before you plead guilty to the ticket, consider this:
If you are pulled over for a traffic violation, check your ticket for accuracy by reviewing it immediately upon receipt.
There are two considerations here:
If there are inaccuracies that may hurt your case (i.e. if the officer notes on the ticket that you crossed two lanes of traffic when you only crossed one, or if he says traffic was heavy when in fact it was light), ask him immediately to correct them. Be very polite when requesting changes to your ticket. However if you find that the officer is not accommodating, do not argue but record the actual circumstances in your mind, and after he leaves, jot it down.
On the other hand, if there are inaccuracies that may help your case or get the ticket dismissed, such as the wrong license plate number, the wrong street, etc., you do not want to call attention to them.
Begin preparing your defense immediately, once the police officer has given you your ticket and left the scene.
Record relevant details, such as traffic and road conditions, weather, time of day, and any extenuating circumstances.
If you have a camera or cell phone camera take pictures – especially if your defense depends on something like an obscured speed limit sign or a huge pothole that you had to swerve to miss.
The best witness you could ever have is a dash-cam recorder. It records video in front, to the sides and rear of your car. It also records audio in your car’s interior, speed, location and other driving info. It can show: red-light, full stop, traffic flow, etc.
Go to the officer’s original position (whether stationary or moving) and check for any obstructions that might have caused them to have a poor view of the alleged offense or that might have caused the radar to malfunction.
Make a diagram of the road showing where the officer was positioned, which direction you were traveling, where you eventually stopped, and other important details.
Contact me personally today to discuss your New Jersey traffic ticket matter. I am easy to talk to, very approachable and can offer you practical, legal ways to handle your concerns. You can reach me toll free at (855) 376-5291 or e-mail me at fniemann@hnlawfirm.com/.