TRAFFIC

If you regularly drive a vehicle in Maryland, you are a moving target. The police can pull you over for hundreds of different reasons. A poor traffic record can adversely affect your job, security clearance, and future employment opportunities. Here are just a few of the traffic violations we defend.

Section 16-303 of Maryland license law states that “a person may not drive a motor vehicle on any highway or on any property specified in [the] article while the person’s license or privilege is suspended in this State.” This means that if your license was suspended, the Maryland Vehicle Administration revoked your ability to drive for a set amount of time. Two suspended driving charges that may apply to your Maryland license are 16-303(c) and 16-303(h). Both are very serious charges, and it’s imperative to get help from a Maryland traffic attorney if you face them.

Several differences exist between these charges. With 16-303(c), the maximum penalty is one year in jail and / or a $1,000 fine for a conviction. In addition, you can get 12 points on your license, which revokes your ability to drive. The second conviction of 16-303(c) may bring the maximum penalty of two years’ incarceration and / or $1,000 fine. A conviction for 16-303(h) means a maximum penalty of $500 fine / or 3 points on your license.

There are two different statutes of license law because of the different reasons driving privileges are suspended. The charge that you face is determined by the reason your license was suspended. For instance, you’d face a 16-303(c) charge if your license was suspended because you received a DUI, failed to pay child support, failed to complete a driver improvement program, had too many points on your license, or failed to pay a civil judgment. A 16-303(h) charge might apply if your license was suspended because you failed to pay a traffic ticket or fine, failed to appear in court for a ticket, and/or failed to maintain your insurance.

To protect the state’s drivers, Maryland requires that all vehicles be insured. As an uninsured motorist, you face not only a difficult financial road if involved in a motor vehicle accident, but you also face criminal charges for driving without insurance. If you are charged with driving without insurance in Maryland, it is in your best interest to consult a qualified traffic attorney who can help defend you against unnecessary consequences.

Accidents can be traumatic experiences for all parties involved, and can challenge an individual’s ability to act rationally and assess the situation. A consequence of this is that some individuals may flee the scene of an accident. It is important to understand that leaving the scene of an accident in the state of Maryland is a criminal offense, and entails substantial penalties. If the accident resulted in a fatality, fleeing the scene is considered a felony under Maryland law. Thus, if you are facing such charges it is unequivocally in your best interest to retain legal counsel.

The traffic charge of fleeing and/or eluding police is a fairly common Maryland traffic charge.  In order to be convicted of this offense,  the State has to prove that you “willfully” failed to stop after an officer told you to do so.  Of course, the officer has to be in uniform, must give you a signal to stop, and must prominently display his or her badge (or something else to indicate he’s the police).  I have attached the actual language of the statute below for review.

Many times, an officer will charge a person with fleeing and/or eluding and the individual simply did not see the officer.  Often, the citizen was not paying attention or the officer did not give a proper signal.  In either case, the Defendant must have willfully and intentionally attempted to flee police.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail, a fine, and 12 points on your driving record.  There are many defenses to this charge and ways to keep your record clean.

If you’ve been charged with a fleeing and eluding citation in Maryland, don’t panic.  I’d be happy to help keep the points off your license so you can move on with your life.  Call my office at 410-276-4357 before you go to court or pay any traffic fines.  I’m an experienced Maryland Traffic ticket attorney who has handled thousands of Maryland traffic cases.  I practice in all counties throughout Maryland, mostly:  Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. For more information on fleeing and eluding in Maryland, review the statute below.