Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
Tickets are now being issued from red-light cameras at three busy Jacksonville intersections, adding to the list of places drivers can be forced to pay fines in these automated Jacksonville Traffic Cases. The cameras have been up for some time, but tickets cannot be issued immediately when the camera are installed, according to a report on News4Jax. Actual tickets can only be issued after the camera has been installed and active for one month. The tickets began on violations at the end of January and carry a $158 fine, according to the news report. Drivers have been receiving warning notices in the mail if they have been caught running the lights at these three intersections, but the fines in these Jacksonville Traffic Cases are what really matter.
Jacksonville Traffic Cases can be expensive, and the real cost comes down the road, when the points assessed to a driver’s license start to add up. Red light camera tickets are a little different, and that’s why some have criticized the cameras as simply a money grab for the counties that install them. Unlike any other moving violation in a Jacksonville Traffic Case, red light camera tickets do not have points that count against a person’s driver license – IF the $158 fine is paid within 30 days. But, in order for a driver to protest a red light camera ticket in a Jacksonville Traffic Case, the driver must let that 30-day window expire for the ticket to become a traditional traffic ticket. By that point, though, the fine has jumped by more than $100 and the driver faces three points on his or her license.
That’s a risk counties are likely hoping drivers won’t take. They are hoping drivers see the evidence on the photo, figure they can’t win, and just write the check for the $158 to move on. Any many probably will, especially because the risk of points can be expensive in the long run. Points can lead to soaring car insurance rates, and could eventually lead to a license suspension. In Florida:
– If a driver has 12 points in one year, his or her license is suspended for 30 days – If a person gets 18 points in 18 months, a 3-month suspension is issued – Drivers lose their license for one year for 24 points in a three-year span
Fighting a Jacksonville Traffic Case in court can often lead to points and fines being reduced. But, if drivers are not facing points on a red-light camera tickets, many may not think it’s worth it to fight the ticket and bring points into play.
If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Duval County Traffic Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.