Millions of Minnesotans get behind the wheel of a vehicle every day, and a good portion of them break one or more rules of the road. If they commit these actions in view of a police officer, they can end up getting pulled over. If you’re lucky, the officer may let you off with a warning, but if you’re not, you’ll end up with a ticket or even in handcuffs.
There are a variety of different rules you must follow on the road, and crimes of speeding to reckless homicide all carry different potential penalties. Below, you can learn about some of the common consequences of committing a traffic violation in Minnesota.
Driving Violation Penalties in Minnesota
The specific penalties you may face will depend on your specific citation or arrest, but here’s a look at a few of the common penalties imposed by traffic court.
- Fines
- Jail time
- Vehicle forfeiture
- License suspension
- License Forfeiture
Aside from these common penalties, in many traffic offenses you’ll also face the possibility of increased auto insurance rates. Insurance rates can easily increase hundreds of dollars, and over the course of a few years, you may end up paying thousands of dollars more for insurance if you were convicted of a serious driving offense like a DUI. These hidden costs aren’t always talked about, but it shows just how important it is to hire an attorney to challenge your driving arrest. If the lawyer can help you beat the charges, you can actually save money in the long run by hiring an attorney.
Also, it’s worth noting that the court can suspend your driver’s license for certain non-driving offenses. The most common reason someone may have their driving privileges suspended for a non-driving offense is for failing to pay child support.
The infraction you committed will dictate how long your license will be suspended. For example, you can have your licenses suspended for 30 days for committing three misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor violations in a 12-month period, 90 days for four such violations in the same time period, and a year for five or more offenses. You’ll lose your license for 180 days for fleeing the scene of an accident if personal injury occurs, and a year if death occurs. Vehicular homicide can lead to the loss of your license for between one and 15 years.
Minneapolis Traffic Attorneys
As you can see, traffic violations can snowball into a huge headache if you’re not careful. Even if the violation doesn’t seem that serious, you could benefit from talking about your options with an attorney. They can help explain what’s at risk, and if your ticket is worth fighting with a lawyer. If you have questions about your traffic ticket, reach out to Avery Appelman. He offers a free case review that will allow you to sit down with a lawyer and talk over all your options before committing to legal representation. For more information on how to set up that meeting, click here or call his firm at (952) 224-2277.