North Myrtle Beach Traffic Ticket Lawyer

North Myrtle Beach Traffic Ticket Attorney

Each year in the US, one in five of roughly 200,000,000 drivers will receive a traffic ticket, which equates to about 40,000,000 tickets being given out each year. In South Carolina, the rate of tickets handed out annually is in congruence with the national rate of one in five drivers. Furthermore, the national average likelihood of being pulled over throughout a year’s time is 1%; however, that likelihood jumps to 20% in South Carolina.

Axelrod & Associates, P.A., suggests always fighting a traffic ticket because, if you just pay the fine, you are automatically pleading guilty to the violation, which leads to a whole slew of further consequences. Our law firm focuses on traffic violations, and we work hard to get you through traffic court as fast as possible. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Every case we take on is an opportunity for us to practice our customer service and help you fight your Myrtle Beach, SC, traffic violation. We have more than 100 years of combined legal experience within our law firm and countless successful traffic court cases.

Should You Fight Your South Carolina Traffic Ticket?

Only 5% of traffic violations are contested in court nationwide. South Carolina drivers can’t afford not to fight a traffic ticket due to the consequences and additional costs incurred by a guilty plea. Due to the points ticketed drivers in North Myrtle Beach, SC, incur on their driving record, the potential for a revoked or suspended license, the possibility of an insurance rate increase, and the cost of having to attend driving courses to reduce those points and lower insurance rates are all great reasons alone to fight a traffic ticket. By attempting to fight your ticket, you at least have the possibility of diminishing your charges and consequences. Having a SC traffic ticket lawyer show up with you at court can improve your chances of a favorable outcome in your traffic ticket case.

South Carolina Traffic Tickets

South Carolina traffic violations are not just given out to speeders. Drivers in North Myrtle Beach, SC, get traffic citations for failing to obey traffic laws such as:

• Running a stop sign
• Reckless driving
• Driving with a suspended or revoked license
• Failure to obey traffic devices, such as a red light
• Driving carelessly
• Driving without insurance
• Passing a school bus
• Violation of a traffic ordinance

Conferring with a South Carolina traffic ticket lawyer is the first thing drivers should do if they have been ticketed for any of these offenses. Drivers can ask questions and ensure that they understand the consequences of fighting or not fighting the ticket. Their chances of successfully defending against a traffic citation greatly improve when they enlist the help of a professional attorney to represent them in court.

Losing Your South Carolina Driver’s License

After your first traffic citation, the chances of your driver’s license getting suspended go up, and this is one reason many people fight their second and subsequent traffic violations more aggressively than they do their first. There are many reasons why your license can get suspended, although you can eventually get it back. Offenses that will incur a suspended license include:

• DUI
• Reckless driving charges (two within five years)
• Allowing someone else to drive your car for street racing or highway racing
• Accumulating too many points on your driving record via traffic violations

A license revocation, on the other hand, is a permanent loss of driving privileges. If you are caught committing certain serious offenses, your driver’s license will be revoked, which is irreversible. These offenses include:

• Racing
• Committing a felony via a vehicle
• Failing to stop and provide assistance at the scene of an accident in which you were involved and someone was killed or injured
• Causing a fatality by careless driving

To learn about your options following a suspended or revoked license, or if you are a habitual traffic offender, contact an SC traffic ticket attorney and schedule a consultation.

SC Traffic Violations FAQs

Q: How Do I Get a Traffic Ticket Dismissed in South Carolina?

A: To get a South Carolina traffic ticket dismissed, you must show up for court. To increase your chances of getting your ticket thrown out, you will need a lawyer. In other cases, you can request that the judge grant you permission to attend driver’s education classes in exchange for your ticket being dismissed.

Q: Can I Just Pay My Ticket and Not Go to Court in South Carolina?

A: In most cases, you can pay your South Carolina traffic citation online, and this eliminates the need for you to go to court because it is considered an automatic admission of guilt, and thus, your court date doesn’t happen. Once you pay your ticket, though, there’s no way to go back and fight the courts, and you are required to adhere to the consequences of a guilty plea.

Q: How Long Do Traffic Tickets Stay on Your Record in South Carolina?

A: One of the penalties drivers incur when charged with a misdemeanor ticket is that they get a criminal record. These charges remain on the driver’s criminal background record for five years. There is an expungement process to remove tickets from your background sooner, but it takes two months and is costly.

Q: When Do Driver’s License Points Fall Off Your Driver’s License and Driving Record in South Carolina?

A: Driver’s license points can negatively impact insurance rates for up to two years. After one year, driver’s license points are reduced by half and disappear completely after two years. To remove them sooner, drivers can take a state-approved 8-hour defensive driving course or just wait for them to fall off on their own.

Got Axelrod?

If you have been ticketed in South Carolina, and want to fight your ticket, do not pay it. Contact Axelrod & Associates, P.A., to discuss your options. Our traffic ticket lawyers are prepared to help you with your traffic ticket case. We can offer you options upon initially talking with you and recommend a course of action for your defense strategy.