Florida Highway Patrol Will Be on Lookout for Aggressive Drivers March 30 Through April 4, 2012

Tampa Bay Criminal Attorney and Former State Prosecutor Melinda Morris of the Morris Law Firm discusses why the Florida Highway Patrol will increase traffic enforcement from March 30th through April 4th, 2012.

Issue:

Florida Highway Patrol troopers will crackdown on aggressive vehicle drivers who engage in vehicle traffic violations that can result in a ticket or an arrest between March 30 and April 4, 2012. Some of the offenses the state troopers will look for include speeding, reckless driving, DUI, following too closely, unsafe lane changing and careless driving.

In addition to the increased efforts on Florida's highways by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FDHSMV) also intends to utilize billboards and radio messages to increase safe driving awareness and of the greater risk of receiving a citation or arrest for a traffic violation during this period.

According to the FHP, the purpose of the campaign is to reduce the number of commercial vehicle-related crashes and injuries and fatalities that arise from aggressive driving in Florida, in addition to raising awareness of safe driving behaviors among car and truck drivers.



Why This Matters To You:

It is very important to contact an experienced traffic crime defense lawyer in Pinellas County if you are arrested or charged with reckless driving, careless driving or aggressive driving throughout the Tampa Bay area in Florida between March 30 and April 4, 2012.

A conviction for any traffic offense in St. Petersburg and the surrounding areas can lead to serious punishments and consequences depending on the facts surrounding your offense, including jail or prison time, fines, suspension of your driving privileges, a possible criminal record, increased insurance rates and/or requirements to complete a driving safety course.

It is important to know you do not have to face a conviction if you are charged with a traffic offense in St. Petersburg. There may be defenses or mitigating factors available to the traffic crime allegations against you, including procedural or constitutional violations by FHP troopers or other law enforcement officers and/or insufficient evidence to prove you committed a traffic offense or violation. Additionally, the prosecution must first prove you committed every element of the criminal offense beyond a reasonable doubt. This can be a very difficult burden of proof to establish, and any doubt in the mind of the judge or jury can possibly result in a dismissal or reduction in the charges you are facing.


What To Do Next:

If you have been charged with a traffic-related offense in Tampa, contact a St. Petersburg Criminal Defense Attorney to discuss possible defenses and specific strategies that may exist in your case. Call the Morris Law Firm at 727-388-4736 to discuss you case directly with an attorney, or fill out our Online Form to be contacted for a free initial consultation. The Morris Law Firm can help. Attorney Melinda Morris has specific knowledge and experience in representing alleged traffic crime offenders throughout Pinellas County the entire Tampa Bay, FL area, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Largo, Dunedin and Bradenton.