Common Criminal Traffic Violations in Pittsburgh
There are different levels of criminal traffic violations in Pennsylvania. Most traffic tickets are summary offenses. These are minor crimes, and the potential punishments are typically fines and points on your driver’s license. Individually, traffic violations are not too serious. However, getting too many tickets can lead to serious consequences, like a driver’s license suspension. There are also more serious traffic offenses that lead to misdemeanor or felony charges. These can be punished by incarceration, fines, and more.
If you find yourself facing a criminal traffic violation in Pittsburgh, it is best to hire a lawyer. Our team at Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC is here to help. Contact us online, or call (412) 281-2146 to schedule a consultation with a Pittsburgh criminal traffic attorney.
Common Criminal Traffic Violations
There are a number of criminal traffic offenses outlined in Pennsylvania law, including:
Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
It is illegal to operate or be in control of a vehicle while impaired due to any drugs, alcohol, or a combination of the two. Depending on whether the current charge is a first or subsequent DUI and whether your BAC was above or below .15 percent, you may face a misdemeanor charge.
Driving with a Suspended License
It is illegal to operate a vehicle on public roads while your driver’s license is suspended or revoked. If you are caught driving under these circumstances, a first offense is a summary offense. The penalty depends on the underlying reasons for your license suspension or revocation. Driving with a suspended license for a second time when your license was revoked for refusing to submit to a BAC test or a DUI is a third-degree misdemeanor. You can be jailed for up to one year and fined up to $2,500.
Fleeing or Attempting to Elude the Police
If a police officer signals for you to stop, you must. Fleeing from an officer or trying to elude them is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in jail, and a fine of up to $5,000 in addition to another fine of $500. A third-degree felony can result in seven years in prison, with fines reaching $15,000.
Accidents Involving Personal Injury or Death
If you cause an accident, you are required to stop at the scene, provide help, and notify the authorities. If you fail to stop at the scene of an accident that resulted in someone being injured or killed, you may be charged with at least a first-degree misdemeanor. If an individual was killed, you are likely to be charged with a felony.
Aggravated Assault by Vehicle
If you cause another person bodily injury because of driving recklessly, then you may be charged with a third-degree felony.
Homicide by Vehicle
If you drive recklessly or commit a traffic offense other than DUI, and that act results in an individual’s death, then you may face third-degree felony charges.
Let Us Help You with Your Criminal Traffic Violation
If you are facing misdemeanor or felony charges for a traffic violation, you need to take the situation seriously and hire a criminal defense attorney. This is not a simple traffic ticket you can get out of by simply paying the fine. You need to defend yourself. Otherwise, you may end up with a permanent criminal record. If you plead guilty or are convicted, you face incarceration, thousands of dollars in fines, the loss of your driver’s license for a period of time, and a number of other collateral consequences. By hiring a lawyer from Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC to help you with any number of criminal traffic violations, you are only helping strengthen your defense.
To discuss the charges against you, call us at (412) 281-2146, or use the online form to schedule a consultation.