Experienced Bucks County Traffic Violation Defense Attorney
A traffic ticket or traffic violation citation in Pennsylvania can cost you money, add points to your driving record, increase your insurance costs and lead to a suspended or revoked driver’s license. You need the legal guidance of a qualified traffic violations defense attorney to help you take appropriate actions that keep your driving record clean. As an experienced traffic violations attorney in Bucks County, Sharif Abaza has the expertise to help you fight traffic violations charges, avoid associated consequences and even obtain a traffic ticket dismissal.
What is Pennsylvania’s Points System?
What is Pennsylvania’s Suspension of Operating Privilege Code?
Point Removal for Safe Driving
Sharif Abaza is the traffic ticket - traffic violations lawyer Bucks County often able to work with police officers to dismiss or reduce charges such as:
- Traffic Ticket Lawyer
- All Moving Violations
- Automated Photo Red Light Tickets
- Careless Driving
- Driving with a Suspended License, DUI and Non-DUI related
- Driving without a License
- Driving without Proof of Insurance
- DUI
- Reckless Driving
- School Zone Violations
- Speeding
- Unpaid Parking Tickets
What is Pennsylvania’s Points System?
Each driving offense carries a point value. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) begins imposing penalties after 6 points have been accumulated. Your insurance company will raise your rates based on the accumulation of these points.
Here are some examples of traffic violations points:
- Careless Driving: 3
- Exceeding 6-10 mph over maximum speed limit: 2
- Exceeding 11-15 mph over maximum speed limit: 3
- Exceeding 16-25 mph over maximum speed limit: 4
- Exceeding 26-30 mph over maximum speed limit: 5
- Exceeding 31 mph over maximum speed limit: 5
- Exceeding the speed limit in a school zone: 3
- Failure to comply with crossing gate or barrier: 4
- Failure to obey policeman or authorized person: 2
- Failure to obey a signal indicating approach of train: 2
- Failure to stop for a flashing red light: 3
- Failure to stop for a red light: 3
- Failure to stop for stop sign: 3
- Failure to yield at yield sign: 3
- Failure to yield half of roadway to oncoming vehicle: 3
- Failure to yield to driver on the right at intersection: 3
- Failure to yield to oncoming driver when making left turn: 3
- Failure to yield when entering/crossing roadway between intersections: 3
- Following too closely: 3
- Improper passing: 3 - 4
- Improper turning around: 3
- Violation concerning license: 3
- Violation of restriction on driver’s license: 2
What is Pennsylvania’s Suspension of Operating Privilege Code?
The purpose of the point system is to help to improve driving habits and to ensure safe driving. PennDOT begins to take corrective action when a driving record reaches 6 or more points.
The following sections explain what happens when a driving record reaches 6 or more points:
- Under the Age of 18
The driving privilege of a person under the age of 18 will be suspended if that person accumulates six (6) or more points or is convicted of driving 26 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit. The first suspension will be for a period of 90 days. Any additional occurrences will result in a suspension of 120 days. This suspension is in addition to the requirements of the point system found below.
- First Accumulation of 6 Points
When any driving record reaches 6 or more points for the first time, the driver will receive a written notice to take a special written point examination. The examination will address:
1. Knowledge of Safe Driving Practices,
2. Knowledge of Departmental Sanctions, and
3. Knowledge of Related Safety Issues.
The driver has 30 days to successfully pass the exam or else the license will be suspended until the exam is passed. If the exam is passed within the 30-day period, 2 points will be removed from the driving record.
- Second Accumulation of 6 Points
When any driving record is reduced below 6 points and then for a second time reaches 6 or more points, the driver will have to attend a Departmental Hearing. The driver will receive a written notice of the specific time and location of the required hearing. At the hearing, a hearing examiner will review the driver’s record. After the hearing, the Department may recommend one or more:
1. Order a 15-Day License Suspension,
2. Order the Driver to Take a Special On-Road Driver’s Examination, or
3. Take No Action.
If a person’s driving privilege is suspended or a special driver’s exam is recommended, 2 points will be removed from the driving record if the driver passes the exam within 30 days or 2 points will be removed once the 15 day suspension has been served. No points are removed from the driving record if the Department does not initiate a sanction. Failure to attend this Departmental Hearing will result in a 60-day license suspension.
- Third or More Accumulation of 6 Points
When any driving record is reduced below 6 points and for the third or subsequent time reaches 6 or more points, the driver will have to attend a Departmental Hearing. The hearing examiner will review the driving record. The Department will then determine if a 30-day license suspension will be initiated. Failure to attend this Departmental hearing will result in the suspension of the driver’s license until the driver attends the hearing.
- Excessive Speeding
When a driver is convicted for speeding 31 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit, the driver will have to attend a Departmental Hearing. The driver will receive a written notice of the specific time and location of the required hearing. The hearing examiner will review the driving record. Upon the Department’s review of the hearing file, one or both of the following will be initiated:
1. 15-Day License Suspension
2. Special On-Road Driver’s Examination
If a 15-day suspension is initiated, the driving record will show 5 points upon restoration. No points are removed if a special driver’s examination is initiated and completed. Failure to attend this Departmental Hearing will result in a 60-day license suspension.
- Accumulation of 11 Points or More
When any driving record reaches 11 or more points, the driver’s license will automatically be suspended. The length of suspension depends on how many times the license was suspended in the past. The suspension schedule is as follows:
1. First Suspension - 5 days per point
2. Second Suspension - 10 days per point
3. Third Suspension - 15 days per point
4. Subsequent Suspensions - One year
- Point Removal for Safe Driving
Three (3) points are removed from a driving record for every 12 consecutive months a person drives (from the date of the last violation) without a violation, which results in points, license suspension or revocation. Once a driving record is reduced to zero and remains at zero points for 12 consecutive months, any further accumulation of points is treated as the first accumulation of points.
