Teens & Traffic Tickets

Last week was National Teen Driver Safety week, a week designated to remind us what we already know- the dangers of teen driving. I have represented many recently licensed teenagers who were involved in crashes, issued speeding tickets or cited with violating restricted license provisions.

It is important to understand the graduated license requirements in North Carolina. Shea Denning recently did an excellent summary in the NC Government blog. While your teenage driver may not remember their algebraic formula for the SAT, most teenage drivers I speak to can tell you exactly when, where and what time they can drive when they turn 16. The issue becomes whether they abide by the requirements. Many times young drivers were not engaging in reckless behavior when cited. Often they were only driving home from a babysitting job or a person's house. As a defense attorney handling these cases, it is important to separate these cases from the cases where reckless and careless behavior was engaged in.

Many parents ask if they should immediately enroll their teen in traffic school after receiving a traffic ticket or other traffic violation. I am often asked about Brakes traffic school in Mecklenburg County. Talk to an attorney first. Each case is different. As an attorney who handles traffic cases, I want to see the teen's driving record, speak to the driver, know how many family members are on the insurance policy and understand the circumstances around the case. Often overlooked is the teens performance in school. This is very helpful when negotiating a case.

Putting your teen behind the wheel likely ranks in the top three most anxious moments for parents. If the teen is then cited with a traffic ticket, it becomes extremely stressful for families.  As an attorney who works with teen drivers and parents regularly in North Carolina, there is often avenues that can be pursued which would prevent a license revocation or insurance increase. Talk to an attorney before going to court.

Traffic and Criminal Law Updates Provided by the Law Office of Carilyn Ibsen PLLC (888)543-2427