Archive for May, 2010
Las Olas Blvd in Fort Lauderdale sees ticket increase Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
After two pedestrians were hit by cars and killed in March, police officers have cracked down on traffic violations along Las Olas Boulevard and handed out more than 400 tickets to drivers and walkers.
Speeding tickets and failure to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks and street corners were the most popular Florida traffic violations cited. Pedestrians have also been cited for jaywalking.
On top of the increase in traffic tickets issued, the city is considering lowering the speed limit and potentially installing red light cameras.
Police have been instructed to make themselves highly visible and to perform traffic stops and issue traffic citations to all violators on Las Olas. Officers were ordered to pay particular attention to cars not stopping at occupied crosswalks, but were told to look out for pedestrians breaking the law as well.
State law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks and intersections, regardless of whether they are marked or not. That includes brick-paved crosswalks like those along Las Olas. On the other hand, pedestrians must obey “Don’t Walk” signs and are prohibited from crossing streets between intersections.
The number of tickets is up substantially. The Police Department motorcycle unit supplemented the work of regular patrol officers. The number of tickets issued are up more than 5X the average of 60 tickets per month issued there last year.
If you have any questions about a ticket issued on Las Olas, please contact a Broward County traffic ticket attorney. Elsewhere in Florida feel free to contact other Florida traffic ticket lawyers.
Alameda County issuing a “better” traffic ticket Thursday, May 6th, 2010
Alameda County Sheriffs have been issuing a different kind of traffic ticket lately.
Instead of traditional California traffic tickets written under California state traffic laws, officers have been issuing “local” traffic tickets under a local ordinance. About half of Alameda County traffic tickets issued are currently issued under local ordinance.
The difference? Typical California state traffic violations carry points, come with relatively high fines that are split between the local county and the state and will appear on a driving record and potentially affect auto insurance rates. These local traffic summonses do not carry points, the fines are generally less, they don’t appear on a driving record and the local county gets to keep all the fine money collected.
The person who gets the traffic ticket wins. Alameda County wins. The losers? Insurance companies which never know these drivers have received tickets and the state of California which loses it’s piece of the fine money collected.
State officials claim this is a loophole that will eventually be closed.
If you have questions about any type of California traffic ticket, please contact an Alameda traffic ticket attorney or other California traffic ticket lawyer.