Bay Area police hand out carpool violation tickets like officers in Apple Valley and Barstow issue tickets for seat belt violations.

Area peace officers issued a record number of citations in 2015, but the problem persists. Unscientific estimates place the number of unauthorized vehicles – ones that either have too few occupants or do not have special permission to be in the carpool lane – as high as 40 percent during rush hours. Officers agree that the most common excuse they hear is that the drivers used the carpool lane to get around a slow-moving vehicle.

Enforcement is not easy. Many solo drivers buckle the passenger-side seat belt and pull down the visor or engage in similar shenanigans to avoid detection. So far, efforts to employ camera enforcement have stalled.

Nonpoint Violations

Some nonpoint violations, like a no seat belt ticket or a cellphone ticket, can be almost as expensive as a speeding ticket or other moving violation. Moreover, since insurance companies in The Golden State must operate under such strict consumer regulations, these nonpoint citations might cause your insurance premiums to increase. Finally, traffic school and other pretrial diversion programs are often not an option in nonpoint cases, so the only thing you can do is pay the fine.

An attorney can identify all the defenses you have, and leverage them at trial and during plea negotiations, to get the case thrown out or at least get the penalties reduced. This approach is about the only way to save money in these situations.

Getting Legal Help

The aggressive attorneys at Bigger & Harman, APC, are committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets. Call today at 661-349-9300 or email attorney@markbigger.com to receive the personal professional attention you deserve. En español, llame al 661-349-9755.