New York City Improper Turns Defense Lawyer
Let Our Firm Help You Contest Your Ticket
Facing an improper turn citation can have serious repercussions, especially if you make your living operating a taxi, Uber, or Lyft here in the bustling streets of New York City. Those negative consequences include everything from steep fines to points on your driver’s license to paying more for your insurance.
At Traffic Court Pro PLLC, our New York City improper turns defense lawyer understands the impact these citations can have on your driving record and your livelihood. With over a decade of experience, and exclusively focused on traffic ticket cases, we’re dedicated to helping you contest these tickets and protect your driving record.
Call us at (516) 289-9804 for a free consultation.
How to Contest an Improper Turns Citation
It’s crucial to have a strategic approach based on the unique circumstances of your case. Some of the factors we look at for possible defense strategies include:
- The road signs: Evaluating the positioning and clarity of road signs at the intersection where the alleged improper turn took place is a good place to start. Lack of proper signage or obscured visibility could lead to confusion, potentially justifying the turn in question.
- Traffic conditions: Consideration of heavy congestion, construction zones, or temporary road closures, can provide context for the alleged improper turn. Demonstrating that the turn was made in response to unique traffic circumstances can bolster your defense.
- Driver safety: A compelling defense strategy might involve providing evidence or testimony that the turn was a defensive maneuver to prevent a potential accident.
- Signal malfunction: If the citation was based on a failure to adhere to a traffic signal, then the signal itself can be put on trial, so to speak. Any documented malfunctions, irregularities, or maintenance issues can cast doubt on the validity of your ticket.
- Witness testimonies: Obtaining statements from passengers, pedestrians, or other motorists who witnessed the turn can offer additional perspectives on the event. Witness testimonies can corroborate your account of the circumstances leading to the turn.
Whatever approach is ultimately taken, our legal team will meticulously analyze the details of your case and passionately make the argument on your behalf.
The Value of Traffic Camera Footage
Access to traffic camera footage can be a powerful asset in defending against an improper turns ticket. Our New York City improper turns defense attorney can obtain and review traffic cam footage as part of the discovery process. We’re well-connected with law enforcement officials in all corners of New York City, so we know the right people to call for access.
The footage allows us to visually reconstruct the events leading up to the alleged improper turn. The goal is to find out if the video can provide context and evidence to support our chosen defense strategy. By analyzing the footage, we identify factors such as traffic conditions, signal visibility, pedestrian presence, and the overall traffic flow at the intersection, all of which might help in establishing a comprehensive defense.
Furthermore, traffic cam footage can serve as an objective record of the incident. It’s not one person’s word against the other. Instead, it’s powerful visual evidence that may contradict the allegations made against you in the citation and highlight potential mitigating factors.
The Burden of Proof in Your TVB Hearing
New York City handles its traffic ticket cases through the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB), a division of the Department of Motor Vehicles. There are several differences between a TVB hearing and what takes place in a standard courtroom. One of those is the burden of proof that law enforcement will be obligated to bring forth against you.
It’s vital to understand the distinction between beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the standard in a criminal courtroom, and clear and convincing, which is the threshold in your TVB hearing.
When the prosecution must prove guilt "beyond a reasonable doubt," it signifies the highest standard of proof in criminal cases. This burden requires the prosecution to demonstrate that there is no plausible explanation other than the defendant's guilt and that the evidence presented is so strong and compelling that any rational doubts are effectively eliminated.
On the other hand, “clear and convincing” is a lower threshold. The burden mandates that the prosecution bring forth evidence that is highly and substantially more probable to be true than not. It’s still a high burden. As the defendant, there is still a certain benefit of the doubt that the TVB administrator hearing your case must grant you. However, it’s still not as much protection as defendants get in a criminal trial.
This is another reason it’s important to retain counsel that is not simply experienced, but has specific, successful experience in TVB hearings. Over the past 10-plus years, Traffic Court Pro PLLC has built up a strong, successful record in these cases. While past performance doesn’t predict future results, past performance can give a client confidence that their attorney knows what they’re doing and knows how to win. We do. Reach out today.
Call the office at (516) 289-9804 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
