Howard County Traffic Attorney
Our Howard County Traffic lawyers help clients who are facing serious speeding charges or moving violations in Howard County, MD and throughout the state. Call our experienced Howard County attorneys if you’re interested in fighting your charges, rather than pleading guilty and facing serious penalties and/or higher insurance premiums.
When driving in Ellicott City, Columbia, Elkridge, and neighboring cities, you are subject to Maryland traffic laws and enforcement by the Howard County Police Department and Maryland State Troopers. In recent years, the state of Maryland has improved the safety of its roadways by increasing highway patrols, embracing strategic safety planning, and severely penalizing those found in violation of traffic laws and regulations. Given the risks that exist for all drivers, and the often complex and often confusing nature of traffic law, anyone who has received a traffic violation should contact a Howard County traffic lawyer to ensure that their rights and their driving record are protected.
If you are found in violation of Maryland’s traffic laws you will face fines, license suspension, or other associated penalties. Timing is everything in matters of the law, so you need to act quickly to avoid the maximum penalties and to build a strong defense strategy. Contact a Howard County traffic lawyer today to discuss your citation and find out more about limiting the consequences of your traffic violation. Or, for help with DUI charges.
Maryland Traffic Laws
Standard traffic violations are subject to fines and civil or administrative penalties. When the violation is considered reckless or an extreme danger to public well-being, however, one may face criminal charges as well. If convicted of a criminal driving offense, jail time and a permanent criminal record are examples of the consequences the offender could bear.
Standard Traffic Violations
- Using a handheld cell phone while operating a motor vehicle
- Failure to use a seatbelt
- Driving in excess of the posted speed limit
- Failure to obey stop and/or yield signs
- Improper passing
- Failure to use headlights after dark or when windshield wipers are in use
Jailable Traffic Violations
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Driving while intoxicated (DWI)
- Driving on a suspended license
- Driving without insurance
If you are pulled over for a primary traffic offense, other secondary offenses may result in a more serious citation leading to increased penalties. To better understand the penalties and associated consequences for a particular traffic violation or citation, you need the help of an experienced traffic violations lawyer. With knowledgeable counsel and proper representation, you may be able to reduce the impact to your driving record and future.
Alcohol-Related Driving Offenses in Maryland
A blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 is the threshold for legal intoxication at which point one may be arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). In Maryland, however, one can also be charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI). According to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), one may be charged with a Maryland DUI or DWI with blood alcohol content (BAC) as low as 0.04 percent if the arresting office has other evidence of intoxication. When the BAC is 0.08 percent or higher, a driver faces the more serious charge of driving under the influence (DUI). When one has a BAC between 0.07 and 0.08, one faces the charge of driving while intoxicated (DWI). For a minor under the age of 21, even one drink may incur penalties: an underage driver with a BAC as low as 0.01 percent is subject to DUI penalties under the statute of zero tolerance.
Different states handle alcohol-related driving offenses in their own way, and Maryland chooses to be tough on drunk drivers. The scope of penalties may include long-term license suspension or revocation, hefty fines, incarceration, the required use of an ignition interlock device, and more. If you are facing these penalties because of a DUI or DWI, contact an experienced traffic violations lawyer as soon as possible. You may be able to avoid an unnecessary license suspension if you act quickly (you have 10 days to request a hearing with the MVA to prevent a loss of driving privileges).
Reckless and Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving is a combination of particular driving offenses that lead to a charge, whereas reckless and negligent driving are more general charges that leave room for a measure of subjectivity on the part of law enforcement. Even if a driver is unintentionally posing a threat to fellow vehicle operators the penalties remain severe. If you were charged with aggressive, reckless, or negligent driving, you need the legal counsel of an experienced Howard County traffic lawyer. With the help of a skilled legal representative, you may obtain a dismissal or reduction of charges leading to minimal penalties.
Traffic Violation Representation in Howard County, Maryland
The Howard County traffic attorneys at our firm have provided successful counsel and representation to a number of clients facing the administrative, civil, criminal, and associated penalties that can accompany Maryland traffic citations. Someone who intimately understands the process of fighting a traffic ticket will be able to provide invaluable guidance throughout the process.