Florida DUI Traffic Ticket Lawyer Blog

I think everyone knows it is just a matter of time before all texting and driving is outlawed across the U.S. Florida is examining a law to ban the practice as have many other states who issue traffic citations to distracted drivers. These traffic tickets can be especially costly to those drivers who make their living behind the wheel.

The federal government has proposed a ban on all text messaging by interstate truckers and bus drivers while behind the wheel. Issuing traffic tickets for commercial drivers can be a powerful punishment for men and women whose job is dependent on a clean driving record. The biggest debate on the issue has centered on how the ban would be enforced. In Florida traffic tickets for texting and driving would be a secondary violation.

A Brevard County traffic stop led to Owantus Johnson being arrested for gun charges but while in custody he sprinted out of the interview room and escaped. According to the Associated Press, Johnson was pulled over for a traffic violation and that is when deputies found a gun in his car.

Johnson tried to flee when the gun was discovered but was captured and taken in for questioning. His hands were restrained behind his back with a plastic tie but that didn’t stop the 19-year-old from running out of the interview room and escaping the Sheriff’s deputies. He is still at large and wanted on the original charges of resisting arrest without violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

A standardized red light camera bill cleared its first hurdle in the Florida House as it moved through a House Health Care Regulation Policy Committee. The bill is sponsored by Bradenton representative Ron Reagan and it sets up standard fees for red light runners caught by the controversial cameras. The fine would be $155. The traffic fine would be split up with $75 going to the local government, $55 to the state and $25 into a Department of Health trust fund.

The state-wide red light camera system still would be a code violation rather than a traffic ticket with points assessed to your Florida driver’s license since there would still be no witness to the violation outside of the camera. The question then comes on how enforcement of the payment will be handled. Florida traffic attorneys are waiting to watch how this plays out since at the moment these code violations cannot be challenged in a court room.

The red-light camera debate just won’t seem to go away in Hillsborough, Tampa and Bradenton. Thanks to a ruling in Aventura that called the red-light cameras illegal, the debate is raging once again on whether these devices are legal, constitutional, money makers, safety devices or a combination of all of the above. Now comes this story from Dayton, Ohio where the city has installed cameras to catch people who run red lights and is getting ready to use those same cameras to issue speeding tickets as well.

According to the Dayton Daily News nearly 50% of the city’s red light camera tickets are unpaid. Not only that but the city, according to Dayton’s finance director, has no incentive to make the people pay the citations. The police are considering booting or towing vehicles that have not paid the tickets but is that the best way to allocate the time of a law enforcement department ready facing tight budgets? If police are spending their days booting cars that were caught on tape rolling through a red light, the cameras will cost cities more than they are generating.

Continue reading "Should You Pay Traffic Tickets Issued By Red Light Or Speeding Ticket Cameras? " »

According to an Associated Press story, the Department of Transportation has instituted a ban on truck and bus drivers from texting and driving while operating a commercial vehicle. The ban is effective immediately. The punishment for this traffic ticket could be up to $2,750 in criminal and civil penalties according to a D.O.T. statement.

The ban on texting and driving applies to drivers of interstate buses and trucks over 10,000 pounds. Both major industries support the ban according to the story as both the trucking industry and wireless industry gave their support to the new prohibition. According to the AP story, the government reports that drivers on average take their eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds for every 6 second text they send.

Continue reading "Department Of Transportation Takes First Step In Nation-Wide Ban On Texting And Driving " »

Welcome to the red light camera controversy Tampa! City officials have decided to battle Tampa drivers who run red lights by installing the controversial red light cameras at 10 Tampa intersections according to TBO.com. If all goes according to plans, the red light cameras will be fining Tampa drivers by the end of 2010.

Hillsborough County recently installed cameras at 10 intersections as well. Those cameras began issuing fines for red light violators at the end of last year. The city of Tampa scrapped plans to install red light cameras in 1007 because, at the time, the city felt the cameras may cause more rear-end collisions and there were concerns about a private company issuing traffic citations. Well, what has changed? Budget shortfalls due to the economy seem to have made those concerns no longer a concern.

Continue reading "Run A red Light In Tampa? Cameras Are Coming To Take Your Picture And Fine You." »

Red light cameras have been operating in Tampa and Hillsborough County since October 30 but for the past month red light runners have only received warnings. That is no longer the case. If you are photographed running a red light at any of the six intersections in Hillsborough County you will now receive a traffic ticket for $125. The traffic citations will be mailed out starting Tuesday, December 29. In just one month’s time, there have already been 2,770 warning letters sent out according to a story on TBO.com.

These citations are not handled like a regular traffic ticket since they are violations of a county ordinance. This is the way counties get around not having an officer witness you running the red light. Because of that, no points are assessed to your Florida driver’s license due to the traffic citation. There are plenty of legal battles currently going on over the red light cameras all across Florida but for the moment, Hillsborough County drivers better be on alert at Waters Avenue, Dale Mabry, Anderson Road, Fletcher Avenue, Bruce B. Downs, Sligh Avenue and a few others.

Continue reading "Tampa Drivers You Are Now On Alert As Red Light Cameras End Warning Phase And Citations Start Going Out" »

Banning the practice of texting and driving in Florida is not new but the few attempts that have been made to pass a law banning texting while driving have failed. That may be changing. Sensing a shift in public opinion the tide was starting to change but on Wednesday lawmakers in favor of the ban got a huge boost from Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

According to a Bradenton Herald story, Crist did everything but come out and say he wants a ban on text messaging while driving during a cabinet meeting in Tallahassee. Crist let his feelings be known to Julie Jones who is the executive director of the DHSMV. The story reports that more than a dozen bills have been filed on the matter but in the past similar bills barely were considered.

Texting and driving is not a traffic violation yet but if you have been cited for a moving violation anywhere in Florida and need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact Florida Traffic Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourTicket.com. Also you can contact David via email. We have lawyers all over the state of Florida who can help you fight your ticket.

Roger Yeager was found guilty of reckless driving, vehicular homicide and street racing in an accident that took the life of 83-year-old Vertis Ryan. Now he has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison according to a story on TBO.com. The Gibsonton man was racing another car when he rammed his Nissan 350Z into the Ford Taurus that Vertis Ryan and her husband William were driving. It took the jury just three hours to convict Yeager last month.

Sheriff’s investigators estimated that Yeager was driving at more than 100 M.P.H. in a 45 zone when he hit the Ryan’s car and the judge showed him on leniency in his sentence. On top of the 15 years in prison for the manslaughter, Yeager was given six years probation on the other charges and he had his driver’s license permanently revoked.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Tampa that led to criminal charges and need agressive legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Defense Attorney Darren Finebloom at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourCase.com. Also you can contact Darren via email or by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

According to a story on TBO.com nearly 45,000 vehicles travel just one specific area of Fletcher Avenue each day. That is the same area were 15 pedestrians have been involved in accidents with two of those being killed. Now Hillsborough County is looking into ways to make the area safer with help from a volunteer board.

The stretch of Fletcher Avenue just west of the University of South Florida could have its speed limit dropped from 45 M.P.H. to 35 M.P.H. Other suggestions call for adding small medians, increasing bicycle lanes and using electronic signage to help pedestrians. The project could cost the city upwards of $2 million.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Tampa or anywhere in Hillsborough County and are in need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Traffic Defense Attorney Stephen Higgins at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourTicket.com. Also you can contact Stephen via email or by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

More than two years ago 83-year-old Vertis Ryan died in a traffic crash. Now it is up to a Tampa jury to decide if it was just an accident or a homicide. Roger Yeager’s trial began yesterday in Hillsborough County on charges of reckless driving, vehicular homicide and street racing. The driver of the car he was accused of racing has already pled guilty and is serving three years in prison. He was the first witness to testify against Yeager.

According to the prosecution Yeager rammed his Nissan 350Z into a Ford Taurus that was making a U-Turn on Gibsonton Drive. According to an article on TBO.com Smith has already testified that he noticed Yeager was revving his engine and took off when a street light turned green. Smith passed the Nissan but then Yeager caught back up and the two began to race before he saw Yeager’s taillights as the car entered a curve where he crashed with the victim’s Taurus.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Tampa that led to criminal charges and need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Defense Attorney Darren Finebloom at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourCase.com. Also you can contact Darren via email or by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

The State of Florida has been changing traffic laws and fees a lot lately. There has been great debate as to whether the changes are for public safety or to raise money for the cash-strapped state. According to Bay News 9, another state legislator is proposing a bill to change a traffic law in the name of safety.

State Senator Thad Altman has proposed that booster seats be mandatory for children up to the age of seven. The current law requires a child in a car be restrained in a booster seat up to the age of four. He and booster seat saleswoman Barbara Hill are in support of the changes. The article on the stations website cites stats they say almost 200 children between the ages of 4-7 have been killed in Florida car crashes the past decade. They add almost 1,000 more have been injured.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation anywhere in Florida and need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Traffic Attorney Stephen Higgins at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourTickets.com. Also you can contact Stephen via email.

While you still can’t be cited for a traffic violation for texting and driving in Florida, there is one county where you can lose your job for doing so. ABC Action News’ Elizabeth Dinh is reporting that Polk County has banned its 2,000 employees from texting while on the road or on the clock. Polk officials say that after a third offense violating the rule, an employee will be suspended and could be fired.

The new rule is in response to the increasing number of crashes of trains and buses that are a result of the driver being distracted by test messaging. While the first few times a county employee is caught there will only be warnings issued, Polk County is hoping the new rule will lower the chance of a major accident and injuries caused by a county employee.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Polk or Hillsborough County and need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Traffic Attorney Stephen Higgins at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourTickets.com. Also you can contact Stephen via email or by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

Texting and driving is a bad idea and there are numerous studies and stats that back that up. In some reports it has been found that texting while driving is many times more dangerous than drinking and driving. The practice is under scrutiny at the federal level right now but before the U.S. Government puts a ban in place, Florida lawmakers may beat them to the punch according to an article at TBO.com.

A bill has been filed in Tallahassee to make texting and driving a noncriminal moving violation punishable by fines. Similar proposals have failed previously but the current bill will focus solely on texting and not talking on cell phones as well. Eighteen states already have some ban in place. Reports put the number of deaths due to distracted driving at 6,000 nationwide.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Tampa and need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Traffic Attorney Stephen Higgins at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourTickets.com. Also you can contact Stephen via email or by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

With a national summit and a bill in the Florida House, distracted driving is becoming a major issue in the United States as well as in our home state of Florida. Most expect the practice of sending text messages while driving to become a traffic offense in Florida shortly, until then Tampa high school students got a lesson in just how dangerous distracted driving can be thanks to a program sponsored by Allstate and reported on in the Tampa Tribune.

Students from Sickles, Lennard, Leto, Wharton and Freedom high schools took part in the class held in the parking lot of Steinbrenner Stadium. The high schoolers were asked to navigate cones while texting, eating, listening to loud music, drinking and being in a car full of fellow teens. On this day the drivers were only running over cones but the point the instructors made on any other day those could have been pedestrians.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Tampa and need qualified legal representation, please do not hesitate to contact experienced Traffic Attorney Stephen Higgins at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourTickets.com. Also you can contact Stephen via email or by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

The Federal Government has begun to take a long look at the dangers of distracted driving which stems from drivers texting, talking on their phones or even reading newspapers and magazines while driving! The Obama Administration has begun to take the first steps to curtail this behavior but it seems the first law may come from a recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board during the Bush administration. The NTSB has put banning commercial drivers from talking on cell phones on their list of the most important safety measures that need to be adopted and it doesn’t seem anyone is objecting according to an Associated Press article on BradentonHerald.com.

The Obama administration seems poised to act on this issue and an announcement could be made as early as next week at a two-day summit on distracted driving. Right now 17 states prohibit bus drivers from using cell phones while driving and 18 states have passed laws making it illegal to text and drive. Both of those practices have been banned in the District of Columbia as well.

If you are a commercial driver and have a traffic ticket or fine anywhere in the state of Florida we know how important your driving privleges are. Please do not hesitate to contact Traffic Defense Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website FightYourTicket.com. Also you can contact David via email.

Florida is a destination state for tourists and those who like to live in a sunny climate that has no state income tax. But the state may not be that attractive for cost conscious visitors or residents if a new law that taxes the amount you drive were to pass. There is an article on Tampa’s 10Connects.com today that talks about the possibility of the state charging motorists a tax based on the amount of miles they drive.

The reasons to raise more revenue for the state are numerous but the article states this new tax may be a way to make up for the amount of gas tax money Florida is losing based on drivers being more thrifty at the pump these days with the cost of fuel rising. Seems like it may be a better plan to just reduce fuel costs, which is something nobody seems to do although it gets talked about enough.

The tax would be determined by a GPS-type system being placed in all vehicles. Every time you go to the gas station the device would report the amount of miles you drove between fill-ups. Seems like a plan to not only raise revenues but also increase the number of thefts of gasoline, which is already happening in Tampa Bay. The VMT, vehicle miles travel tax, was a topic that the Department of Transportation did not want to comment on when contacted by the reporter.

If you have a traffic ticket or fine anywhere in the state of Florida and need qualified legal representation please do not hesitate to contact Traffic Defense Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter or visit our website fightyourticket.com. Also you can contact David via email.

The Clerks of Court all around the state of Florida are scrambling to try and find ways to make up for $90 million in budget cuts. So far the Florida’s 67 county clerks have cut jobs, closed offices, furloughed employees and cut down on services according to the Bradenton Herald story. So far 1300 jobs have been eliminated

The loss in revenue has led some to believe that there are more tickets being issued on Florida’s roads and that is the reason behind the recent raises in fees for everything from license renewals to renewing tags. There has already been increases in fees for all sorts of citations in counties across the state.

If you have received a traffic ticket anywhere in Florida please do not hesitate to contact Florida Traffic Attorney Darren Finebloom at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter. Also you can contact Darren via email.

Since the calendar flipped to 2009 eight months ago, the number of tickets that have been written by Tampa Police for “ear shattering car stereo volume levels” was nearing 1,400. The tickets are issued to driver’s whose music can be heard from 25 feet away and comes with a $101 fine. That number is up from the 836 citations issued all of last year.

According to the St. Pete Times website, the increased enforcement of the law came after complaints from East Tampa residents. Residents presented a petition signed by 400 people asking the police to allow them to give the license plate number of cars that they felt violated the law. The city declined that offer since officers need to witness the offense to write the citation.

If you have received a traffic ticket for a moving or non-moving violation in Hillsborough County please do not hesitate to contact Tampa Traffic Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter. Also you can contact David via email or by stopping in our Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

We told you weeks ago about the looming increase in fees for driver license and vehicle registration renewals. We said get it done early but you didn’t listen did you? Thousands of Florida drivers who are eligible to renew licenses and registrations before the almost 50% fee increases take effect on September 1. So many citizens have tried to renew online that the Department of Motor Vehicle website crashed Friday. (read more)

There have been long lines all over the state including here in Manatee County. There were 60 people waiting in line near DeSoto Square Mall Friday morning and over 7,000 online transactions were processed Tuesday, almost double the number from the previous day. This is the first time these fees have been increased in 20 years.

If you have been involved in a traffic accident anywhere in Florida please do not hesitate to contact Florida Traffic Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848) to discuss the matter. Also you can contact David via email or by stopping by our comprehensive website.

State law in Florida requires that drivers found guilty of certain traffic violations twice in a 12-month period be required to take a driver-improvement course. That law will be changing on October 1st when driver’s who run a red-light, who are involved in highway racing, get cited for reckless driving or for failing to stop for a school bus will be required to take the four-hour class. (read more)

Drivers who are cited for those infractions currently have the option to take the course in order to keep points off their driving record. This law will make that mandatory and failing to comply will result in a license suspension. The law also includes a fine increase of $65 for three of the four violations, the exception is running red lights.

Stephen Higgins, a traffic lawyer in Tampa, questioned whether a driving school mandate will solve the problem.

"It’s a slippery slope because people are not only going to be required to pay the ticket, but now the state is also going to expect them to attend driver improvement school,” said Higgins. “Driver Improvement school is an added cost to the citizens of Hillsborough County, not to mention the fact that it takes 4 hours to complete the school - taking people's time away from working or spending time with their family."

If you have received a traffic ticket anywhere in Florida please do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced Traffic Attorneys at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-348-4848) to discuss the matter. Also you can contact us by visiting our website dedicated to ticket defense all over the state of Florida.

If you read our blog here at Finebloom & Haenel you know that texting and driving is a subject we have been following closely. It has the attention of the Obama Administration and it is now getting set to take center stage in Florida as well. Fox 13 reporter Doug Smith reported this week that state representative Doug Holder of Sarasota will try for a third time to pass a bill banning texting while driving. (read more)

While Holder has been unsuccessful in his previous two attempts this month to get a law passed he believes the third time will be a charm. His case will be bolstered by numerous studies that have been released recently that show the practice of distracted driving is exponentially more dangerous than even drunk driving. If Holder’s bill passes, the ticket will carry a $30 fine.

Texting and driving is not yet illegal but if you have received a traffic ticket anywhere in Florida please do not hesitate to contact Tampa Traffic Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss the matter. Also you can contact David via email or by stopping in our Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

Just before noon Monday on U.S. 19 in New Port Richey two mothers got the scare of a lifetime when a fellow driver pulled out a shotgun and aimed it at them. The driver of the other car was identified as 28-year-old Matthew Tweel who allegedly took aim at the car with his finger on the trigger and pointed the gun into the car with the two mothers and their children. (read more)

The pair wanted to talk to Tweel and alert him that they had three children in their car and his driving was unsafe due to his speeding and near accident with the couple when he cut them off. When they got next to Tweel they saw he had the shotgun pointed right at them. They called 911 and New Port Richey Police apprehended Tweel. After searching his car, police say they found a 12 gauge shotgun, .40 caliber pistol and controlled substances Diazepam and Hydrocodone.

If you have been charged with a crime in St. Petersburg, please do not hesitate to contact Pinellas Attorney Stephen Higgins, Esq. at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss the matter. Also you can contact Stephen via email or by stopping in our new Pinellas County office located at 4500 140th Avenue North Suite #219.

Are Orlando’s red light cameras unconstitutional? That is what a class action suit filed in Orange County is claiming. The city claimed the cameras, which were installed in September, are there to save lives but the lawsuit alleges that their only purpose is to generate revenue. (read more)

There is only one named plaintiff in the suit filed by a West Palm Beach attorney. The suit claims that the red light cameras do not identify drivers only cars and the owner of the car is presumed guilty, which is the opposite of the standard which is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If the suit is certified as a class action, more plaintiffs are expected to be added.

If you have a traffic ticket in in Florida, we can help. Please do not hesitate to contact Traffic Attorney Stephen Higgins, Esq. at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss the matter or visit our website fightyourtickets.com. Also you can contact Stephen via email.

A Sarasota woman was doing 70 MPH on Orange Avenue when she ran a red light at Fruitville Road and eventually crashed into a Sarasota police patrol car. Was the women written any ticket for her traffic violations? She wasn’t because she had a pretty good excuse for her driving. Rebecca Provencher was fleeing from her ex-boyfriend who was holding a gun as he rammed into her SUV from behind. (read more)

Eddie Smith is accused of triggering the incident that caused Provencher to drive erratically and hit officer Katrina Young’s car and sent her to the hospital for a broken wrist. Smith has been charged with three felonies including aggravated battery, aggravated assault and felony battery.

If you have been involved in a traffic-related misdemeanor or felony in Bradenton, Sarasota or Manatee, please do not hesitate to contact Sarasota Traffic Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss the matter. Also you can contact David via email or stop by our Sarasota offices at 200 N. Washington Blvd.

Distracted driving has become a major story these days with numerous reports coming out on the dangers of driving while texting or reading emails. Report after report lately indicates that driving while text messaging is exponentially more dangerous than driving while under the influence of alcohol. The dangerous practice is now ready to go under the microscope in Washington D.C. (read more)

The Obama Administration, led by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, will hold a summit with experts from all fields in an effort to come up with a solution to the problem. LaHood has recently gone on record saying if it were up to him he would ban texting while driving. The plan is to come out of this summit with concrete steps to put an end to unsafe cell phone use in cars according to LaHood.

Texting and driving is not yet illegal but if you have received a traffic ticket anywhere in Florida please do not hesitate to contact Tampa Traffic Attorney David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss the matter. Also you can contact David via email or by stopping in our Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

Starting September 1st fines for speeding and running a red light are going to be higher than Florida drivers are used to in at least once county. Sarasota County city commissioners voted to double the county’s surcharge on some noncriminal traffic violations. (read more)

The decision comes after a new state law was passed allowing Florida counties to double their fees to cover rising court costs. In Sarasota County traffic citation fees generated $700,000 but court costs were $1.2 million. City commissioners are obviously hoping this doubling of the fees will help offset that deficit.

If you have a traffic ticket in Florida, please do not hesitate to contact Florida Traffic Attorney Stephen Higgins, Esq. at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss the matter. Also you can contact Stephen via email.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is in the midst of a growing controversy about the dangers of cell phone usage while driving. In 2003 a federal agency proposed a study of the risks of using cell phones while driving. They felt multitasking behind the wheel was becoming a growing danger to drivers. The NHTSA never commissioned the study. (read more)

The New York Times requested documents under the Freedom of Information Act about the proposed study and the NHTSA is now saying the study was not conducted because the agency was worried about angering Congress. Clarence Ditlow is the director of the Center of Auto Safety and he is alleging a cover-up of a problem that “could be as bad as drunk driving”. Estimates have the number of fatalities caused by cell phone users on America’s road total nearly 1000 and there have been 240,000 accidents since 2002.

If you have been cited for a traffic violation in Tampa or have been involved in any crime in Hillsborough County, please do not hesitate to contact Tampa Ticket Attorney Stephen Higgins, Esq. at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss the matter. Also you can contact Stephen by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

A traffic stop in the Groves subdivision in Land O’Lakes early Monday morning ended with Pasco Sergeant Bill McVey in the hospital. Pasco County deputies are looking for the man McVey pulled over who allegedly knocked the sheriff’s sergeant unconscious. (read more)

The sergeant stopped a car at approximately 2:30 a.m. when he suspected the occupants of the car of prowling. McVey recognized one of the people in the car as a Land O’Lakes man that is wanted on outstanding warrants. As McVey tried to arrest him he was hit on the head and knocked out. The suspect and another man ran off into the woods following the assault.

If you have a traffic ticket in Florida that led to felony charges, please do not hesitate to contact Criminal Defense Attorney Stephen Higgins, Esq. at 1-800-FIGHT-IT or online at fightyourtampadui.com to discuss the matter. Also you can contact Stephen by stopping in our new Tampa office located at 3426 W. Kennedy Blvd.

A new law in Florida will go into effect January 1, 2010 and it is aimed at the state’s worst drivers. Any motorist that is convicted of three crash-related moving violations in a three-year period will be required by law to take a behind-the-wheel education course and also pass a driving test. (read more)

The new law will start counting violations on January 1 so past incidents will not be factored in. There have already been 3,200 drivers isolated that would be affected by the new law. By the numbers this group is made up of mostly white, male drivers 40 years old or younger.

If you have been cited for a traffic offense in Florida, please do not hesitate to contact Florida Traffic Attorney Stephen Higgins, Esq. at 1-800-FIGHT-IT or online at fightyourticket.com to discuss the matter.

If you live in north Tampa and want to pay your traffic tickets in person, you will need to drive a little further on August 1st. The satellite office located at the Floriland Business Center will close July 31 according to Pat Frank, Hillsborough County Clerk of Circuit Court. (READ MORE)

Frank cited budget cuts as the reason for the office closure. Tampa residents can pay their traffic tickets downtown. For residents outside of Tampa, satellite offices are open at the Brandon Regional Service Center, SouthShore Regional Service Center in Ruskin; or at the Plant City Courthouse. Frank also said residents can pay their traffic citations at all locations of Amscot.

If you have been cited for a traffic offense anywhere in the state of Florida, please do not hesitate to contact David Haenel at 1-800-FIGHT-IT or online at fightyourtickets.com to discuss the matter.

In order to collect over $35 million in federal funding, Florida Governor Charlie Crist recently signed into law a bill which allows Florida law enforcement officers to pull over motorists if they are not wearing their seat belt. Until the signing of this most recent bill, Florida law enforcement could cite motorists or passengers, but only if they stopped their vehicle for some other lawful reason. With the passage of this new law, Florida will be eligible to collect Federal highway safety dollars which will help fund law enforcement activity throughout the State of Florida. A seat belt ticket in Florida is not a moving violation, however the fine is just shy of $100.00 in most counties. According to a May 2009 Research Study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, The Increase in Lives Saved, Injuries Prevented, and Cost Savings if Seat Belt Use Rose to at Least 90 Percent in All States Florida could save over 175 lives per year if seatblet usage was around 90 percent. Currently, seat belt usage in Florida is around 79 percent. What these articles and publications on seat belt usage do not discuss the effect that this law will have on Florida motorists. Not unlike current Florida statutes on failure to maintain a single lane, failure to use a signal when changing lanes, or obscure tag laws, these new laws come at a price for our freedom and fiscal protection. Florida has extremely aggressive Ticket It or Click It campaigns and the new law should go far in padding the coffers of all state agencies. In addition, it is of utmost concern that the courts will see an increase in cases challenging evidence obtained from traffic stops which began as a result of a driver not wearing their seat belt. Since most DUI arrests occur at night, and the reason for the stop is almost always a possible defense, the stopping deputy or trooper should be 100 percent certain that the person they are stopping is not wearing their seat belt. A seat belt stop is akin to having one headlight out or a tag light out, as no "bad" driving is exhibited.

The Law Firm of Finebloom and Haenel has offices in Sarasota, Clearwater, Tampa, and Orlando and represents motorists across the State of Florida on any traffic related case. Our attorneys can be reached anytime by calling 1-800-FIGHT-IT.

The Florida Highway Patrol has fired an 18 year veteran trooper after a pistol whipping incident in his front yard. According to Bianca Prieto's story in the Orlando Sentinel FHP Fires Trooper Accused of Pistol Whipping Teen trooper Charles Davis was apparently annoyed by the young kids making noise in front of his house. Trooper Davis got into an altercation with one of the teens, and the teen put the trooper in a "choke hold". After telling the teens he would calm down, Davis then went into his house to retrieve a gun. Davis swung the gun at another boy's head, striking 17-year-old Justin Roy's head and body, causing a small cut and laceration. As the Orlando police were investigating the incident, Trooper Davis became extremely agitated and began making off the wall comments. Trooper Davis told the investigating officers that next time he was confronted with this situation "he would kill the kids and leave the bodies for us to clean up on the lawn". This is not Trooper Davis's first brush with the law. He was apparently investigated for disorderly conduct in 2007 and an unknown violation in 2006, for which he served an 80 hour suspension from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

As many driver's throughout Tampa, Florida now know, "Big Brother" is watching as you drive down the road headed towards the red light at the upcoming intersection. As part of an initiative to crack down on red light runners, Hillsborough County employed American Traffic Solutions out of Phoenix, Arizona to install cameras at what the County deemed to be problematic interesections throughout Hillsborough County.

The cameras were installed in Port Richey as well as Temple Terrace and sit atop a 20 foot high pole and are able to record five images in 1.5 seconds. An image is captured of the license plate of the car and transmitted to the Sheriff's office to determine whether a traffic citation should be issued.

"In theory, the idea of a camera capturing violators would seem to work," says Stephen Higgins, a traffic lawyer in Tampa, Florida, "but the problem is the manner in which the cases are dealt with by the system." "The main issue for people who receive citations is the points - typically points on a person's driving record causes their insurance rates to increase. However, red light tickets issued by camera's do not apply points to a person's driving record," Higgins explained. "In other words, the tickets are designed to be a money maker for the county as well as the company employed to install the cameras. "Think about it -you get a ticket for running a red light and then recieve a citation in the mail. Why would you fight the ticket if you aren't going to get any points? So, instead, you pay the fine amount of $126.00 and think the ticket is taken care of, not realizing that it will still appear on your driving record."

The problems don't stop there. "If a violator decided to challenge the citation, he or she must send the ticket back to Amercan Traffic Solutions opting to challenge the citation and wait to receive notice of where to appear for a hearing and told that if they lose the hearing, they will pay additional fees. The entire process is designed to be complicated so people simply pay the citation. Its patently unfair."

Contrary to the stated purpose of the cameras, in one study performed by the University of South Florida, red light cameras were actually found to cause more accidents. The study found that persons who approach an intersection having a red light camera slam their brakes when the light turns yellow causing a rear end collision.
Recently, CNN reported on the use of red light camera's throughout the United States and properly referred to them as "cash machines."

If you have received a citation anywhere in the state of Florida, please refer to our website, www.fightyourtickets.com and contact any one of our lawyers.

Recently, attorney David Haenel was featured in Craig Howie's article entitled Caught at 100 mph--now What?. The article focuses on individuals who have been pulled over for traveling over 100 mph. These motorists include move stars and politicians. The article discusses the methods used throughout the country to deter speeders. In Florida, the highway patrol aggressively uses radar, laser, and aircraft surveillance. The Florida Highway Patrol has fixed- winged cessna aircraft whose pilots clock vehicles between white lines on the roadway. The pilot then calls down to a trooper on the ground who pulls the vehicle over and issues a citation for unlawful speed. Mr. Haenel, from the law firm of Finebloom and Haenel with statewide representation, discusses with Mr. Howie how these cases are defended and actually won. In Florida, the State must prove beyond beyond a reasonable doubt that the driver was speeding. In order to receive the presumption of reliability, the State must establish a scientific predicate. That predicate requires the officer to prove that the speed measurement device was calibrated within the last 6 months. In radar or laser cases the speed measurement device must be calibrated before and after their shift. If you have received a traffic ticket call our office at 1-800-FIGHT-IT to discuss your options

Nick Bollea, the son of wrestler Hulk Hogan, was granted a business purposes only license by Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. According to Jonathan Abels article in the Tampa Bay Times, Nick Bollea Can Drive Again--For Business Only, Nick Bollea will be allowed to drive on a business purposes only license for work, school, Church, supermarket, and anything to maintain his livelihood. Bollea went to Florida's Bureau of Administrative Review office in Clearwater and underwent a hardship hearing. The Bureau of Administrative Review is the branch within the Department of Drivers License that deals with suspensions, revocations, and restricted licenses. Nick underwent an administrative hearing and was granted a license with a restriction "c" indicating business purposes only. Florida law requires that an individual's license be revoked by the court for a minimum of 90 days if the person is found to have committed a traffic infraction involving serious bodily injury. Florida law also allows an individual whose license is suspended for an infraction involving serious bodily injury to complete the advanced driver improvement school, a 12 hour class, and then immediately apply for a hardship license. Additional information about hardship licenses can be found at Finebloom and Haenel's website www.FightYourSuspension.com or by calling the office at 1-800-FIGHT-It

Florida lawmakers are trying to find a way to deal with increased budget cuts, and once again it may occur on the backs of motorists. According to a recent article Speeding Tickets to Get Pricier in Florida, the Fort Myers News Press is reporting that all ticket prices will increase $10.00 and speeding tickets will increase by $25.00 if the new law is passed. Aside from rising ticket prices, the legislature is contemplating the elimination of the eighteen percent reduction for traffic school. The current law under Florida Statute 318.14 allows for a motorist to elect traffic school through the clerk of court to receive an eighteen percent reduction on the cost of the citation. If the law passes the legislature will still allow drivers to receive no points on their driving record, but without an eighteen percent reduction. Commercial drivers are not entitled to elect traffic school because of a law change several years ago, so this proposed law change will not effect drivers with an A, B, or C license, except for the increased fines. In the State of Florida most moving violation are three or four points, depending on the situation. Points remain on your driving abstract for three years, and can cause a suspended license and/or increased insurance rates. For additional information on your Florida ticket check out the information on the website of Finebloom and Haenel.

The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for the person responsible for dumping thousands of shoes on the Miami-Dade expressway during Friday's morning commute. According to the Miami Herald, police had to close the southbound lanes of the Palmetto Expressway while a private contractor cleaned up the shoes with a front end loader. The shoes varied from beach sandals, tennis shoes, slippers, and even work boots. If troopers discover who dumped the shoes on the roadway, the dumper will be responsible for paying the clean up costs associated with the messy salvage operation. Florida has a statute which prohibits the dropping of a load on a roadway. Although not a moving violation, the statute requires a mandatory court appearance for the driver. Florida statute 316.520 (2) states that it is the duty of every driver to ensure that his load does not fall from the vehicle. A violation of this statute will result in fines and the Judge has the discretion to suspend your driver's license.

Continue reading "Traffic Shoes Litter a Miami Freeway" »