Traffic Law in Lexington, KY
Traffic law refers to the creation, implementation, and enforcement of Lexington, Kentucky traffic codes. Traffic violations can vary in severity, ranging from minor speeding tickets to serious DUI charges. These violations lead to consequences, which can include fines, license suspension, license revocation, and even jail time.
In many states, when people fail to disprove traffic offenses, authorities may assess points and add them to a person’s driver’s license. These points can increase your car insurance premium for several years. If you accumulate too many points, it can even lead to a license suspension.
In Lexington, you may have heard this system referred to as the Kentucky point system. For those under 18, gaining seven points or more in less than two years results in a license suspension. Adults who earn twelve or more demerits can face the same consequence. Some common violations reported to the Division of Driver Licensing from the courts include:
- Driving 15 mph over the speed limit in a commercial vehicle – 3 points
- Making an improper turn – 3 points
- Failing to yield to an emergency vehicle – 4 points
- Refusing to stop for a church or school bus – 6 points
If you’re facing traffic violation charges in , , it’s crucial to seek legal advice right away. While it may seem tempting to represent yourself, an experienced , traffic law attorney can significantly improve your chances of proving your innocence. They can also help reduce penalties and remove points from your driving record.
Legal Strategies to Fight Lexington, Kentucky Traffic Tickets
Many people don’t realize that fighting a traffic ticket and winning is a common occurrence. You might think paying court and legal fees to fight a ticket just isn’t worth it. On the other hand, keeping costly points off your license can save you more money in the long run. If you hire a qualified Lexington attorney to fight your traffic ticket, oftentimes the police officer won’t even show up to court and you’ll win. In these instances, you no longer have to pay the ticket, and the points get removed from your license.
The Fayette District Court hears traffic violation cases and adjudicates according to state law in Lexington. Hearings may occur online or at the Robert F. Stephens District Courthouse.
If the officer does show up at court, an experienced traffic lawyer can make a solid case in your defense. Here are common legal strategies that your lawyer may employ to help you fight a traffic ticket.
Challenge the Officer’s Conclusion in Traffic Law Court
If any Lexington, KY officer made a judgment on whether you broke the law, your attorney may argue the conclusion they came to was not the right one. For example, an officer might say that you made an unlawful turn, but in actuality, they couldn’t see whether it was unlawful or unsafe.
Challenge the Officer’s Observations in Traffic Law Court
You can challenge an officer’s observation in cases where it’s your word against theirs. To achieve this, your Lexington traffic law attorney will need to cast enough doubt on the officer. This can prove difficult for a driver to tackle alone because judges tend to agree with officers quite often. However, if you can bring forward evidence that proves you are in the right, then you just might win the case. Here are some examples of evidence that might prove useful:
- Photographs of the scene of the traffic violation
- Witnesses, such as passengers or bystanders
- A diagram showing where your car was, and where the officer’s car was about the traffic violation
- Showing that the point of view from where the officer was made it impossible for them to see what happened
Prove Your Conduct Was Legally Justified
If you commit an unlawful driving violation in Lexington, KY you can argue that it happened due to the circumstances. There are countless examples of this. The main goal is to prove to the judge that even though your actions may have constituted a violation, you had good reason to do so. Here are a few of these examples:
- Driving too slowly because you are about to make a left turn
- Swerving your car in a panic after a bump in the road caused hot coffee to spill from the cup in the cupholder
- Driving above the speed limit to get to the hospital because of a sudden medical emergency
Prove Your Conduct Was Necessary to Avoid Harm
Sometimes, you have to violate Lexington traffic law because you were preventing injury to yourself or others. This would be a viable defense to fight a traffic law ticket. You may believe your conduct is justifiable because you were avoiding harm. Ensure that you can clearly and accurately explain the situation in court. Here are some situations in traffic law where unlawful conduct is necessary to avoid harm:
- Speeding up well past the limit to avoid an out-of-control car
- Speeding up to avoid being rear-ended by an aggressive driver
- Slamming the brakes on a main road to avoid colliding with an animal that was crossing the street
- Swerving your car into the neighboring lane to avoid another car that swerved into your lane
Prove Your Conduct Was a “Mistake of Fact”
If your unlawful traffic violation happens due to a “mistake of fact” this means you simply made an honest and understandable error. When using this angle to defend your traffic ticket, try to have photo evidence of the issue in question for your hearing. The judge can use their discretion to determine if your error was a mistake of fact and can either enforce or drop the traffic ticket. Here are some examples where this might prove applicable:
- You failed to stop at an obscured stop sign.
- The sun was at the exact angle that you could not see the light turn yellow and it was too late to stop when you did see the light.
- A traffic sign was faded and hard to read so you could not do as it said.
Traffic School Programs
In some cases, going to a traffic school that has state sponsorship or approval can help clear your driving record. A judge may even make this a requirement after you’re found guilty of egregious speeding or a DUI. While this will involve some out-of-pocket costs, it can be worth the time and investment.
Drivers in Lexington can register for classes with the Kentucky State Traffic School after receiving orders from a judge. Participation is not mandatory, and refusing to enroll will result in losing your license. Thankfully, you do have the option of taking a course online or in person. If you choose to take a class in the city, many services have started transferring to Driver Licensing Regional Offices.
Work with an Experienced Lexington, Kentucky Traffic Law Lawyer
Facing law enforcement officers in court, especially when the judge appears more inclined to side with them, can be overwhelming. This is particularly true if you have a history of traffic violations that might negatively affect how your case is perceived. While there are no guarantees in court, partnering with an experienced traffic law attorney can help introduce objectivity to the process and increase your chances of achieving a fair outcome.
Are you ready to reach out to a traffic lawyer to get help with your case? We can even help you connect with an attorney across Kentucky state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
