Bristol Traffic Violations Lawyers Defend Your Rights
Tennessee law firm helps clients avoid penalties, license points and suspensions
Conviction of a traffic violation can result in fines, higher insurance rates, license suspension and even jail time. You should not face these serious consequences alone. The law firm of Massengill, Caldwell & Coughlin, PC, has served the Bristol area for over 100 years. We have successfully resolved a wide range of traffic charges for clients, such as speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving, driving on a suspended license and CDL license violation. We know the Tennessee laws and traffic courts and will put our depth of experience to work in seeking the best possible resolution of your case.
How we fight traffic tickets to reduce penalties and keep points off your license
We will conduct a thorough consultation to learn all we can about the charges and circumstances and then advise you about your options. We can assist you if you have been ticketed for such violations as:
- Driving with a revoked license
- Driving without insurance
- Driving an unregistered vehicle
- Driving with an open container
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Improper passing or passing where prohibited
- Making an improper turn
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- Violating the seat-belt law
- Speeding
- Speeding in a construction zone
- Driving without using a child restraint
- Violating driver’s license or certificate restrictions
We will help you understand the penalties, license points and other consequences you may face and will fight your ticket with a view toward achieving the optimal result possible.
Understanding the Tennessee traffic violation point system
Convictions of certain traffic offenses result in points on your driver’s license. Tennessee’s Driver Improvement Program (DIP) assesses points based on the seriousness of the offense. These are some examples:
- Speeding in excess of speed zone — 1 to 8 points depending on speed
- Reckless driving — 6 points
- Failing to yield the right of way — 4 points
- Violating a driver’s license or certificate restrictions — 6 points
- Failing to yield to emergency vehicles — 6 points
- Making an improper turn — 3 points
- Driving with a suspended license — 8 points
- Fleeing a law enforcement officer — 8 points
Points can be even more burdensome than fines, since accumulating too many points may result in a license suspension of six months to a year.
Defense of misdemeanor and felony traffic violations in Tennessee
Some traffic violations are misdemeanor or felony crimes that can result in jail time. Here are some examples, along with possible sentences:
- Unlicensed drag racing — up to 11 months and 29 days in jail
- Reckless driving — up to six months in jail
- Reckless endangerment — up to 15 years in prison
- Child endangerment DUI — up to 12 years in prison if a child is injured and up to 30 years if a child dies
- Fleeing or eluding a police officer — up to six years in prison
We will work to have your charges dismissed or reduced and to seek to avoid your having to serve time in jail wherever possible.
How to help your case in order to beat a ticket
There are ways to beat a speeding citation or other ticket without setting foot in court. By taking a driving improvement course approved by the state, you may be able to keep points and tickets off your record. Another way to reduce the impact of a ticket is for your attorney to challenge the evidence upon which the officer issued it. Whatever the offense charged or the circumstances surrounding it, we will explore and pursue all possible options.
Contact our experienced Bristol traffic violation lawyers for help
At Massengill, Caldwell & Coughlin, P.C. in Bristol, we help fight traffic violations to avoid license points, insurance increases, fines and jail time. To schedule a consultation, call our firm at 423-797-6022 or contact us online.
