Connecticut Red Light Violations Lawyer
Top Stamford Connecticut traffic attorneys and lawyers will tell you that getting a ticket in Greenwich or Stamford for running a red light, or as it’s more formally called—Failure to Obey Traffic Control Signals under CGS 14-299—can be a real nuisance. We have seen Stamford Connecticut’s new Traffic Enforcement Unit begin writing hundreds of 14-299 tickets in recent months for Running Red Lights in Stamford Connecticut. The Police Department’s intentions are well-placed—keeping the roads safe. But the consequences of pleading guilty by mail in Connecticut to CGS 14-299 Running a Red Light / Failing to Obey a Traffic Control Signal can detrimentally affect your driver’s license status, DMV points history, and auto insurance premiums. So if you have been given a ticket in Darien, Greenwich or Stamford Connecticut for Running a Red Light / Failing to Obey a Traffic Control Signal under 14-299, then call a top Stamford criminal traffic lawyer to discuss your options.
Failing to Obey a Traffic Control Signal – CGS 14-299: The Statute’s Definition & Penalties
Connecticut’s traffic light laws are codified in CGS 14-299 (click here for a link to the complete statute). As the best Stamford traffic court lawyers would agree, the laws are very clear that the color of the traffic light controls the way you should drive through the intersection. Here’s the law:
- Solid Green light indicates proceed;
- Solid Yellow light indicates caution and slow down, as the green light is being terminated and a Red light will immediately follow;
- Solid Red light instructs the driver to immediately stop;
- Flashing Red light requires drivers to come to a complete stop at the nearest stop line, crosswalk or intersection, before proceeding forward; and
- Flashing Yellow light instructs a driver to proceed forward with caution.
A police officer in Stamford, Greenwich or Darien can give you a ticket for Failure to Obey Traffic Control Signals / Running a Red Light by observing your failure to comply with these signals. They do not need to have video surveillance evidence to give you a ticket. The officer’s eyewitness observations are enough to get you a ticket. Therefore, if you have someone in the car with you who can vouch for your version of what happened—that is, exactly what color the traffic control signal was when you crossed the intersection, then you will have a very helpful witness in fighting your Greenwich or Stamford Red Light ticket.
Penalties for Pleading Guilty to Failure to Obey Traffic Control Signal / Red Light Ticket
If you plead guilty to your Greenwich or Stamford 14-299 Failure to Obey Traffic Control Signal / Red Light Ticket, then you will be required to pay an approximate $150 fine and you will be assessed 2 points on your Connecticut driver’s license record. These points will stay on your record for two years from the date of assessment. Click here to learn more about the Connecticut DMV point system. If you accumulate 10 points on your driving record in any given time, then your license will be suspended. Six points triggers a suspension unless you complete a state-sponsored driver retraining course.
Getting a Ticket for Violating a “No Turn on Red” Sign
Also included in the Connecticut Violating a Traffic Control Signal laws is the requirement that Connecticut drivers comply with “No Turn on Red” signs. Top Stamford traffic court attorneys regularly see cases where police give 14-299 Red Light tickets when drivers make right turns on red lights in cases where drivers do not see the “No Turn on Red” sign posted. In Greenwich, Darien and Stamford, these signs are sometimes hanging directly next to the traffic light apparatus itself, or alternatively, they are posted on the right side of the road several feet before the intersection. If you did not see the “No Turn on Red” sign, then you may want to consider fighting the Stamford Connecticut Red Light ticket so you can avoid the 2-point penalty on your driver’s license.
Should I Plead Guilty By Mail to My Stamford Running Red Light Ticket?
While the path of least resistance is to check the “guilty” box on the back of your ticket and simply pay a small fine, it is important to understand that pleading guilty in Stamford, Greenwich or Darien to a 14-299 Red Light ticket can result in an increase in your auto insurance premiums and possibly the suspension of your driver’s license, depending on your driving history. That’s why we recommend a quick consultation with any of the best Stamford Connecticut traffic court lawyers to decide whether it is worth it to hire an attorney to fight your Red Light 14-299 ticket. These attorneys will usually walk you through a cost-benefit / risk-benefit analysis to determine whether it is in your best interest to fight the ticket.
Fighting Your Stamford Red Light / Failure to Obey Traffic Control Signal Ticket
The top Greenwich and Stamford traffic court lawyers and attorneys are well-versed in fighting 14-299 Failure to Obey Traffic Control Signal tickets. These lawyers will carefully analyze the police reports, and scrutinize them carefully for technical defects and missing information. The police officer involved can also be subpoenaed to traffic court to be cross-examined by your top Stamford Connecticut speeding ticket lawyer. At the hearing, they can be grilled and called out on the inconsistencies in their police report, and challenged with adverse testimony that may have been elicited by your top Stamford Speeding ticket lawyer during your trial. If you are at serious risk of losing your license, or at risk of getting too many DMV points that will trigger driver retraining, then you should seriously consider fighting your Stamford 14-299 Red Light traffic ticket.
Don’t Risk Increased Insurance Rates – Fight Your Stamford 14-299 Failure to Comply with Traffic Control Signal Ticket
As the very best Stamford traffic court lawyers regularly remind their clients, accumulating points on your driving record can cause your auto insurance rates to rise dramatically. Each year, your insurance carrier reviews your driving record and decides whether to renew your insurance policy for the upcoming year. Having DMV points on your Connecticut driving record naturally places you in a higher risk category, which can sometimes cause insurers to increase their premiums, as they believe you are more likely to get into an automobile accident. Therefore, if you can avoid having points on your license, top Stamford Speeding ticket lawyers generally advise you to fight these tickets, and get them dismissed, even if it may cost you more money than just paying the ticket.
Contact a Greenwich and Stamford Traffic Court Attorney at Mark Sherman Law Today
So if you were pulled over in Greenwich, Darien or Stamford Connecticut for running a red light or violating a traffic control signal under CGS 14-299, don’t wait any longer. Call a traffic court lawyer at Mark Sherman Law today to discuss your options. We will walk you through a quick cost-benefit analysis to help you decide whether it makes sense for you to fight the ticket. If we do not think we can help you, then we will not take your case. Keep in mind, however, that we have an approximate 85% success rate with our Red Light ticket cases. So call us today at (203) 358-4700. We are available 24/7 to take your call.