Serving Westchester County & New York City

A new New York State law was enforced on November 1, 2019: any child under the age of 2 who is riding in a vehicle is required to be in a rear-facing car seat. If a child outgrows an infant-only seat before reaching his or her second birthday, a convertible or all-in-one car seat with higher rear-facing height and weight limits should be installed in the rear-facing position until the child reaches the rear-facing weight or height limit set by the car seat manufacturer. Accor

​Being convicted for a traffic violation can become a real headache—and an expense. For every traffic violation with which you are charged, if the traffic court finds you guilty you can face serious penalties, including having points added to your license. For example, in New York State, if you're convicted of speeding 25 miles over the posted speed limit you can receive 6 points on your license and if you are convicted of improper cell phone use you can receive 5 points on y

It's true that, with the summer approaching, exam season is almost over. But why not take a few minutes of your time to test yourself on today's traffic laws. Take this quiz to assess your traffic law IQ and avoid getting into legal trouble on the roads. 1. You can't get a ticket for cell phone use as long as you're speaking through a Bluetooth wireless connection. True___ False _____ 2. It’s perfectly okay to toot your horn if you’re trying to urge the driver in front of you

My clients are inevitably shocked, dismayed, and frustrated when they have their driver's licenses suspended. The most common reasons for getting a definite suspension order in New York State are: not having automobile liability insurance having a conviction for an alcohol or drugged driving charge having received multiple traffic violations, totaling 11 points within an 18-month period not following the rules for junior drivers The reasons for receiving an indefinite suspens

Yes, you're in a rush. Yes, it's tempting when you're driving on a highway to want to drive in the less congested HOV lane. But, if you're driving alone, resist the temptation! HOV lanes are High Occupancy Vehicle lanes that are designated for cars that contain at least two people. If you're caught driving in an HOV lane without a passenger during specified rush hours, you will generally be charged with a 2-point violation and a fine of over $100. Even if you're driving in a

When you receive a traffic violation, it’s natural to ask yourself: “Should I hire a traffic ticket lawyer to handle this?” My advice: Call a traffic lawyer as soon as you receive the ticket to discuss your case. I always offer people a free phone consultation so they understand the issues involved and can make an informed decision. Note: you only have 15 days to answer traffic tickets so call a traffic attorney ASAP. Here’s what you need to consider when deciding whether to

The only thing more frustrating than receiving a traffic ticket may be losing one. Unfortunately, replacing a lost ticket can be harder than you think. Here's what you need to know to remedy the situation: 1. If your traffic ticket was marked Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB) on the bottom, you're in luck. Go to: https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/get-copy-tvb-ticket, fill out the requested information, and you will be able to order a replacement. 2. If yours was a parking or moving v

​​If your car gets towed you need to immediately take the following steps: 1. Take photos of the parking signs on the street where you had left your car. An experienced traffic attorney may be able to fight your ticket if any signs or notices that prohibited or restricted parking were removed or obscured. Also, if the curb should have been painted yellow in a no-parking zone and the yellow paint ended before the space where you parked your car, take a picture of the curb so

You probably assume that if you're arrested for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)—also known as DUI (Driving Under the Influence)—you have no defense and it's a lost cause to fight the charge. False! The penalties for a DWI/DUI charge in New York include hefty fines, the suspension or revocation of your driver's license for up to one year, and required installation of an ignition interlock device on any vehicles registered in your name. These consequences will have serious repe

​ ​​ ​Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious crime with maximum penalties potentially adding up to thousands of dollars in fines and years in prison. The consequences for driving away from the scene of a car accident vary, depending on whether anyone was hurt or the driver has prior convictions for the same driving offense. These are the charges and penalties you may face in New York State if you drive away from the scene of a car accident: If neither a person or anima

One of the biggest mistakes people make when receiving a traffic ticket is to automatically plead guilty and pay the fine. Instead, follow these five steps and there's a strong possibility you'll either reduce the number of points added to your driving record, eliminate points altogether, lower your fine, and and keep your car insurance low. Here's what to do: 1. REMEDY THE PROBLEM ASAP. If you receive a summons for an equipment violation, such as having tinted car windows,

As an experienced traffic attorney, I've found that few people know what the term "reckless driving" means and what its penalties are. And that's unfortunate because in New York State, reckless driving is considered a misdemeanor—which is defined as a criminal charge and results in a criminal record. Driving recklessly is not to be taken lightly, so it's important to be in the know to prevent safety and legal problems. Q. What is reckless driving? A. Reckless driving is defin