Birmingham Other Traffic Violations

While many drivers are aware of the legal repercussions of speeding, driving drunk or recklessly, or causing a collision, many fail to consider the seriousness of seemingly less significant moving violations. Other traffic violations in Birmingham include running red lights, illegally turning right at an intersection during a red light, failing to fully stop, or failing to yield the right of way. If you have received a moving violation, ticket, or general charge for any of those offenses, call a seasoned traffic attorney to protect your rights, your license, and your insurance rates. A traffic attorney could help ensure that your case is handled correctly and fight for charges to be mitigated or potentially eliminated.

In the State of Michigan, you are required to come to a full and complete stop before any stop sign or red light. If you stop after the designated stop line, you may have committed a traffic violation. Likewise, the common practice of “rolling” a stop sign, meaning you failed to come to a complete stop, is also a traffic violation. It is also permissible to turn right on a red signal if there is no posted sign indicating that they may not turn right at that signal.

In Birmingham, some intersections always allow right turns on red, others always prohibit it, and some intersections are hourly controlled meaning that at certain times, turning right on a red light is unlawful. It is essential to come to a full stop at every stop light or sign and obey all traffic signs and rules at the intersection.

A “failure to yield” violation occurs when there is a posted yield sign but the driver does not follow the corresponding rules. This includes failing to slow down, not proceeding with adequate caution, or otherwise failing to give the right-of-way leading to a collision. Failing to stop at a stop sign may also result in a failure to yield ticket, depending on how the officer wishes to interpret that offense.

A more serious form of failing to yield is not making way for an emergency vehicle. Failing to yield to an emergency vehicle on a Michigan road when they have their lights on could place the emergency responders and the people they are attempting to help at risk. This action is more serious and is considered a crime.

Tickets for infractions such as failure to yield come with fines and rack up points on a person’s license. Enough points may lead to a license suspension or full revocation of driving privileges. If a driver is found responsible for the infraction either by admittance or at the conclusion of a court hearing, their insurance rate will likely go up. In certain cases, even being charged with this type of infraction could lead to a hike in liability insurance rates.

The State of Michigan requires no-fault auto insurance meaning that regardless of a person’s fault in a collision, they are not responsible for repaying the damages. However, there are limitations to that such as liability for damages and compensation that would cost more than their policy covers and extensive increases in insurance rates, regardless of which company a driver uses.

Everybody who is driving on the roads in Michigan must be aware that in certain situations, other drivers will have the right-of-way. The right-of-way is predetermined by the department of transportation and law enforcement to ensure that the traffic moves in a safe and efficient manner.

Carefully following these rules of the road could help drivers to stay safer while on the road, but if you have been charged with an infraction, a seasoned criminal defense lawyer could help you fight the charge and potentially save you some money on insurance or points on your license. Call an attorney today to schedule a consultation for your case and learn more about other traffic violations in Birmingham.