The Most Common Traffic Violations In Illinois

 Posted on October 31, 2019 in Criminal Law

Millions of people drive to work, school or just run some errands in Illinois each and every day, but for a small percentage of those drivers, their day involves being stopped by a police officer for a traffic infraction. But which driving laws are Illinois residents breaking most frequently, and how can you best defend yourself against one of these traffic charges? We answer those questions and more in today’s blog.

Most Common Driving Infractions

You can probably guess some of the infractions that make the list, but here’s a look at 10 of the most common traffic infractions in Illinois:

1. Speeding
2. Failure to Stop
3. Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance
4. Failure to Signal
5. Not Wearing a Seat Belt
6. Violation of the Hands-Free Phone Law
7. Reckless Driving
8. Failure to Maintain Lane
9. Driving Without a License or Registration
10. Drunk Driving

If you are issued a citation for any of the above actions, your ticket will include the following information – the nature of the charge, the date and time of the incident, the location of the violation and the statute or ordinance you are accused of violating. The officer will ask you to sign the ticket, and you should do so. Signing the citation is not an admission of guilt. Your signature constitutes an agreement to either contest the citation in court or comply with the terms of the ticket. Failing to sign can lead to additional penalties.

Fighting A Traffic Ticket

When deciding whether or not to fight a traffic ticket, you first need to understand what’s on the line, and you can do that by figuring out what type of crime or citation you’re facing.

• Petty offense – A petty offense, like a red light violation, is only punishable by a fine or an order of supervision.
• Class A Misdemeanor – The most serious of misdemeanors, Class A misdemeanors for DUI or driving excessively over the speed limit can lead to up to a year in jail and fines up to $2,500.
• Class B Misdemeanor – A less serious type of misdemeanor, these are punishable by up to six months in jail and fines up to $1,500;
• Class C Misdemeanor – The lowest type of misdemeanor in Illinois, these types of infractions are punishable by up to 30 days in jail and fines up to $1,000.

It’s also worth noting that aside from the fines and potential jail time, you can also face the potential loss of your driver’s license and increases to your insurance premiums, so for many traffic citations, it’s in your best interest to consult with an attorney to learn how to proceed.

At Appelman Law, we’ve been providing consultations for traffic citations for years, and we understand your interests. We’re not going to tell you to hire a lawyer for rolling a stop sign, but if it’s your third citation in nine months, we’ll explain how the state will go after your driver’s license and the benefits of having a lawyer who can help you keep your license. We understand that the benefits of hiring a lawyer for a traffic ticket needs to outweigh the costs, and we’d be happy to go over the pros and cons and help you come to a decision that’s in your best interest.

So if you are wondering how to proceed with your traffic citation, give Brett Appelman and his team a call today at (630) 717-7801 and we can help determine your best course of action. We’ve won hundreds of traffic cases in the past, so let us add your case to the growing list!