The 5 Traffic Violations Most Apt To Cause An Accident

May 19, 2017 | Misdemeanor Defense

On behalf of Kestenbaum Law Group posted in misdemeanor defense on Friday, May 19, 2017.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, there are five distinct traffic violations that seem to accompany car crashes more than anything else. These include following too close, driving under the drugs or alcohol (DUI), failing to stop at a red light, speeding and failing to yield when making a left turn.

Los Angeles city code violation 21703(a) describes the offense of following too close to be anyone who fails to adhere to the three-second distance rule. Under this rule, no one driver should pass any one object within a time frame of less than three seconds of the the person in front of him or her having done the same.

Any failure to stop for red lights is a violation of the city’s code 21453(a). It’s not all that uncommon for accidents that happen at intersections to occur because an individual either did not note that the light was red or simply neglected to heed it. In an effort to deter this, California state law recently implemented doubled fines for those who run red lights.

While drunk driving, violation 23152(a), alone generally is a misdemeanor, there are aggravated circumstances that can render the crime a felony instead. An example of such a case is when someone loses his or her life after being struck by the drunk driver.

Driving at a rate higher than the posted speed limit is a violation of city ordinance 22350. A speeding car has a much stronger potential of causing more catastrophic injuries than does one moving at a much slower rate of speed. Certain weather or environmental conditions such as rain or fog may require drivers to drive at speeds even lower than what is posted in order to avoid accidents.

Drivers failing to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic when making left turns are seen as having violated city ordinance 21801(a). Those who fail to do this are responsible for causing countless accidents at intersections each year.

Charges for these different traffic-related crimes not only carry fines and potential points against your license, but in some cases, you may be sentenced with community service or jail time as well. In going over the particulars surrounding your citation with a Van Nuys misdemeanor defense attorney, you will find that you’ll better understand what potential punishments you’re facing.

Source: lapdonline.org, “Traffic/vehicle related questions,” accessed May 19, 2017