Stay Back From the Yellow and Black!

Posted By fycadmin

Passing a school bus that is stopped and showing flashing lights and / or stop signs is a punishable offense in Florida. The reasons for the statute is just plain common sense and this week, Manatee County will celebrate School Bus Safety Week.

The safety events being planned will involve a number of activities that will try and highlight the dangers to schoolchildren of drivers who pass a school bus when it is stopped, usually to allow children on or off the bus.

The school bus service performs a vital role right across the United States and transports millions of our children safely to and from school every day. In Manatee County alone, 166 buses are involved, carrying 16,000 children and traveling over 20,000 miles a day. One of the commonest complaints from bus drivers is the number of drivers who are either unaware of the regulations or continue to flout them, passing buses when children are moving around and endangering their lives.

Manatee County’s Bus Safety Week is honoring its school bus drivers with a donut and coffee day. At the same time, the operators will wear yellow and black – the same colors as the buses they drive.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway patrol and state transport department personnel will be stepping up operations on and around school buses in order to enforce traffic regulations.…

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February 25, 2013

Expired Vehicle Registration Issues In Sarasota

Posted By fycadmin

Doesn’t it seem like every time you pay a bill another more expensive one comes in the mail? Such is life. One bill you get in the mail every year as a Sarasota driver is the renewal fees associated with your vehicle registration. And that is one bill you do not want to ignore!

Expired vehicle registration and no vehicle registration at all are the two big issues that we see individuals in Sarasota dealing with on a regular basis. Although this may seem more like an administrative chore than anything else, if you drive with expired vehicle registration in Sarasota or did not bother to register your car at all, you could be facing potential jail time for this offense.

Here’s a quick look at some of the penalties associated with driving with expired vehicle registration in Sarasota:

If it has been less than six months since your registration expired and this has not happened to you before, you will receive a moving violation (noncriminal in nature). This is the state’s way of being nice to you and giving you a chance to make this obligation up. Of course you are still responsible for any tickets you received for an having expired registration and it is likely that the fees to renew your registration went up as well.

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January 24, 2013

Road Rage Can Also Get You Arrested

Posted By fycadmin

We all experience those frustrating moments when another car cuts you off or a driver does something that is not only breaking the law but breaking your tolerance. Commonly known as road rage, drivers that experience uncontrollable anger towards another driver can also get in big trouble with the Florida police. Whether you experience this type of rage every once in a while, or it is a daily occurrence during your commute, here’s a look at how road rage can also get you arrested in Florida:

– Distracted driving: giving the other driver the finger, tailgating or driving in a way to annoy the other driver can actually get you in trouble with the law. While you are trying to “get back” at the other driver you are also – taking your eyes and attention off the road. Distracted driving can come in many forms: talking on the phone, putting makeup on and now let’s add road rage to the list. Trying to get back at the offensive driver may ultimately leave you with a costly traffic ticket to deal with.
– Assault: Have you seen the scenario in which two drivers are so enraged at each other that they actually pull over to duke it out?…

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January 10, 2013

Speeding in Sarasota: The Various Ways Police Catch You

Posted By fycadmin

The police in Sarasota are serious about catching speeders. Whether you are driving five miles over the speed limit or much more than that, Sarasota police have many ways to catch you in the act. In fact, police have at least four different ways they can catch you speeding. Here’s a look at the various ways Sarasota police measure speed:

Pace: Like the name implies, a police car will “pace” off of a driver for a given period of time in order to determine how fast he or she is going. This basic type of measurement is an easy way for undercover police officers to drive alongside a driver without him or her ever realizing it!
Radar: A radar can be used by a police officer from the side of the road (in a stationary position) or while the officer is driving (in a moving position). Because of the versatility and relative accuracy of a radar, Sarasota officers always seem to have their radar handy.
Laser: Perhaps the most accurate speed measuring device currently employed by Sarasota police, the laser is used in the stationary mode usually from the side of the road.
Aircraft/Helicopter Clock: Operated by Florida Highway Patrol pilots, the pilot will use a certified stopwatch to clock time how fast you get from one point to another.

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January 10, 2013

Tips To Avoid Florida Traffic Tickets

Posted By fycadmin

Florida traffic tickets are not only expensive but can also cost you your driver’s license if you get too many in a certain period of time. Additionally, these slips of paper can cause your insurance premiums to go up or cause you to get dropped from your insurance entirely. On the reverse end, having a clean (or mostly clean) driving record actually leads to sizeable discounts on your insurance premiums every year. With that in mind, we thought it would be helpful to provide some tips on how you can avoid Florida traffic tickets. Here’s our top four:

Know the speed limit: Have a lead foot? Then this tip especially applies to you! The easiest way to avoid a costly speeding ticket is to know the speed limit on the roads you are driving on! Speed limits can change quickly, and so should your speed if you want to avoid a ticket. This is especially true if you are driving near schools, construction zones or residential areas.
Look for Police: With the expectation of undercover vehicles, you already know what local police and highway patrol cars look like. Make looking out for the very cars that will issue you a ticket part of your driving routine.

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November 28, 2012

Tampa Traffic School 101

Posted By fycadmin

Remember the excitement surrounding studying and practicing for your driver’s license as a teenager. The potential to drive around town with your friends was enough to inspire many to learn the rules of the road. Well it may be time to revisit the excitement and dive into relearning the rules of the road. If you were recently given the option to avoid points on your record and attend traffic school then this is one class you should take. Available for civil infractions, attending traffic school is a very good idea. Not only will it help you avoid points and keep your insurance rates down, but can also help refresh your memory on important rules that will hopefully avoid future traffic tickets.

When you receive a ticket for a citation in Tampa, you are presented with three basic options:

Pay the ticket: If you decide to simply pay the ticket then you will not only be admitting guilt but also automatically placing points on your driving record.
Elect traffic school: When this option is available, take it. Can we say that enough in this blog?!
Fight the ticket: Fighting the ticket is always an option, although choosing to do it on your own may not be the best idea.

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November 20, 2012

A Look at Florida Traffic Tickets

Posted By fycadmin

Did you know that almost fifteen percent of all moving violations in the country come from Florida alone? Knowing the strictness with which the Florida police approach traffic violations, cautious driving is essential anytime you are on the road. But even the best of drivers can still get caught for one violation of a Florida traffic law or another.

Much different than criminal cases in which there is often a state of mind requirement the prosecution must prove as part of the crime, the majority of traffic tickets issued in Florida do not require any type of mental intent on the part of the driver at all, just proof that he or she actually committed the act. A legal concept known as strict liability, when the police and/or prosecution can prove that the driver acted in particular manners (i.e. speeding) then they have also proved guilt. Strict liability traffic offenses in Florida includes:

Speeding
Overdue parking meters
Not using turn signals
Parking in a handicapped zone without authorization

Defenses for any of the above mentioned strict liability traffic offenses are fairly straightforward—proof that the driver did not commit the act. When a Florida driver receives a traffic citation or ticket, it will indicate the nature of the violations as well as information on how and when to respond to the ticket.…

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November 2, 2012

Hold Up: How To Handle Traffic Stops In Sarasota

Posted By fycadmin

What to do if you get pulled over in Sarasota, Florida

Getting pulled over is never a fun experience. However, you can make the experience easier on yourself by staying calm, being prepared and not giving the police any reason for further suspicion. Staying in control of your emotions and the situation will also help you down the line if you choose to fight any ticket you may receive. Here are the top five tips for handling a traffic stop in Sarasota.

Pull Over: As soon as you see the flashing lights in your rear view mirror (or other indication that you are being pulled over) be sure to do so quickly so the police officer knows you are not trying to escape the stop. Always use necessary signals when getting over and try to position your vehicle in a safe location on the side of the road.
Calm Down: It is easy to get overly emotional before even speaking to the police officer. Whether the officer is nice or not, you should approach the conversation politely. Other than rolling down your window to speak with the police officer, you should remain relatively still and wait until you are told to show your license and registration.

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February 3, 2012

How to choose a Traffic Ticket Attorney

Posted By fycadmin

The most important factor in choosing an attorney to fight your ticket is whether or not you feel comfortable hiring them. A large factor in your feeling comfortable is the attorney’s experience and their availability. You want an attorney who knows what they are doing. You also want an attorney who won’t ignore your calls. A good attorney can explain things to you in a way that you can understand them so you can make the best decision for you. When hiring an attorney ask them the following questions:

How many times have you been in traffic court? The higher the number of times, the more likely it is that the attorney knows what they are doing. The more an attorney practices in a certain area, the more the attorney knows about it. Traffic court works differently than a criminal courtroom. The State is not present. It is only the officer who wrote you the ticket. This means the attorney’s approach has to be a bit different than in a traditional courtroom if they are going to win your case. If they have never been in traffic court before, an attorney may be out of their league.
Are you available to answer my questions?

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October 22, 2010

Bradenton Drug Charges – Manatee Traffic Stop Leads To Police Chase And Cocaine Trafficking Charges

Posted By fycadmin

A routine traffic stop for a speeding ticket issued by radar turned into a police chase. When the pursuit ended the driver was arrested for numerous charges including cocaine trafficking.

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