Traffic Law in Manchester, NH
Traffic law refers to the creation, implementation, and enforcement of Manchester, New Hampshire 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.
Manchester drivers can face license suspension for several reasons. According to the New Hampshire Suspension/Restoration Bureau, these reasons can include using a fraudulent license, and unpaid court fines. As well, Manchester drivers over 21 who accumulate 12 demerit points in one year can face a 3-month suspension. Furthermore, if you accrue 24 points in 3 years, you can face up to a one-year license suspension.
If you are currently facing traffic violation accusations in Manchester, New Hampshire it’s important to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. It’s a common pitfall to believe you can represent yourself in court. However, an experienced Manchester, NH traffic law attorney increases the chances of proving your innocence. You also improve your odds of reducing sentences and getting rid of points.
Legal Strategies to Fight Manchester, New Hampshire 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 Manchester 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 six district divisions of the Hillsborough County Court handle most traffic cases in Hillsborough County. Specifically, the 9th Circuit District Division handles violations in Manchester.
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 Manchester, NH 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
In cases where it’s your word against an officer’s, challenging their observation is possible but requires casting doubt on their account. Your Manchester traffic attorney can work to present evidence that weakens the officer’s credibility—a difficult task, as judges often side with law enforcement. However, with strong evidence in your favor, you may have a solid chance of winning. Here are some types of evidence that can be helpful:
- 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
In Manchester, NH, if you’re charged with a driving violation, you might be able to argue that the circumstances justified your actions. The aim is to show the judge that, while your actions technically broke the rules, you had a valid reason for them. Here are a few situations where this defense might apply:
- 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
In some cases, breaking Manchester traffic law might be necessary to prevent injury to yourself or others—a valid defense when contesting a traffic ticket. If you can show that your actions were justified to avoid harm, you’ll need to clearly and accurately present this in court. Here are a few situations where bending the rules may be necessary to stay safe:
- 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.
The New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles allows a traffic offender in Manchester to take a Driver Improvement Course (DIC). Specifically, if you accumulate at least 3 demerit points, you may be able to remove those points by taking a DIC. Keep in mind, completion of this course will remove points from your license, but not from your record. The DMV also provides a list of state-approved driving schools and courses throughout the state. If you live in Manchester, you can take the DIC with Chico’s Driving Center.
Work with an Experienced Manchester, New Hampshire Traffic Law Lawyer
Facing law enforcement, especially when it feels like the judge may side with them over you, can be overwhelming. This is even more true if your driving record includes past violations that could negatively influence the case.
While there’s no guarantee of the outcome in court, partnering with an experienced traffic law attorney can help bring clarity and fairness to the process, increasing your chances of achieving a just result.
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 New Hampshire 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.
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