Category Archives: Motor Vehicle Charges
What is a DUI Checkpoint?
DUI checkpoints, also known as DUI roadblocks or sobriety checkpoints, are becoming an increasingly popular tool used by law enforcement agencies across the country to help combat widespread issues with drivers being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. But what exactly are these checkpoints and how are they deployed? Here’s a quick overview. What […]
When Are Police Allowed to Search Your Vehicle?
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects you from unreasonable searches and seizures. However, it does not mean you are fully protected from a search if an officer pulls you over in your vehicle. There are some circumstances in which officers can search your vehicle without a warrant, including when the following are present: […]
What to Know About Reckless Driving Charges
Motor vehicles are potentially dangerous even when operated in a safe manner. Therefore, the law does not look kindly on people who engage in reckless or unsafe driving habits. Anyone charged with reckless driving may face significant penalties, including suspension of their license, fines and, in some cases, jail time. Reckless driving is any form […]
It’s a Crime to Leave the Scene of an Accident
Hit-and-run laws require all drivers involved in a collision to stop, identify themselves and provide any needed assistance. These laws exist to ensure anyone who is injured in a car accident receives the proper medical assistance and the appropriate financial compensation for damage to themselves or their property. These laws affect everyone involved in an […]
Helpful Tips for Challenging a Speeding Ticket
In most cases, speeding is a traffic infraction rather than a crime, unless there are exacerbating circumstances. Still, the consequences for a speeding ticket can be severe in some cases, especially if you have a history of citations on your record. You may need to pay large fines or suffer the consequences of a license […]
Pennsylvania DUI Arrests Increase from 2015 to 2016
The Pennsylvania State Police recently released their statistics related to arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) in 2016. According to the data, state troopers investigated 4,520 crashes related to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and made a total of 19,518 DUI arrests last year. This represents a 3.8 percent increase from […]
PA Supreme Court Redefines Vehicle Search Exception
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects people from being subjected to unreasonable searches of their persons and possessions unless police first obtain a warrant. However, federal court precedent has long recognized an exception for vehicles and has permitted warrantless searches as long as they were supported by probable cause. The Pennsylvania Constitution provided […]
Traffic Tickets Shouldn’t Be Taken Lightly
While a moving violation for an offense such as speeding or careless driving is certainly less severe than DUI or fleeing an accident scene, it can significantly affect your life. Minor violations can affect your driving record, which in turn may result in increased insurance premiums. And for repeat offenders, the penalties are more severe. […]
Homicide by Vehicle — Vehicular Manslaughter in Pennsylvania
The most wanted man in the Northeast last March was Julio Acevedo, infamous for a multiple-vehicular manslaughter incident in New York City. In the incident, three people died after Acevedo’s car barreled down a Brooklyn street at 60 miles per hour on an early Sunday morning and crashed into another vehicle carrying a young husband, […]
Careless Driving
In the non-stop, multitasking, ever-connected-to-the web world in which we live, it is all too easy to get into a traffic accident. At this time of year, when schools are starting and children are commuting to school, it is especially important to be careful around stopped buses, busy student pick-up and drop-off locations, school crosswalks […]
