Pulled Over For Failure To Yield In Atlanta?

Here are some common defenses that you may be able to use to get out of your ticket without having to pay the fine or having points assessed against your license, depending on the circumstances surrounding your traffic stop. 

Your Visibility Was Poor 

You may be able to make a case against your traffic ticket if your visibility was poor at the time of the incident and you were not able to see the approaching vehicle well. For example, if there was heavy fog or the driver did not have their headlights on at night, it would be difficult for you to see in order to yield. 

You Could Not Estimate the Speed of the Other Vehicle 

Yielding effectively involves estimating the speed of the other vehicle with reasonable accuracy. However, if the other vehicle is speeding or going much slower than the posted speed limit, it may be impossible for you to do so. You may pull out in front of another vehicle thinking they are abiding by the posted speed limit when in fact, they’re going much faster than you anticipated. In cases like this, it may be determined that you were not able to yield to the other driver properly through no fault of your own.  

You Were Involved In an Actual Emergency

The “my wife is having a baby” defense for traffic tickets is somewhat of joke in the police community since it’s actually a very rare occurrence. However, if you were involved in any kind of actual emergency at the time you were pulled over for failing to yield, such as driving yourself to the emergency room in severe pain, you may be able to use this to your advantage. 

Do You Need to Hire an Atlanta Traffic Ticket Attorney? 

Most people think they should just pay their tickets, especially if they are “minor” ones like failure to yield or going just a few miles over the speed limit. However, the state of Georgia uses a point-based system that makes every ticket count against you during a specific time period. If you accumulate too many points within that time period, your license will be suspended. 

You can protect your right to drive by fighting traffic violations in court instead of just paying the ticket. This is especially important if you already have points assessed against your driver’s license and are just a few points away from having it suspended. Contact the Kimbrel Law Firm today to discuss smart defense strategies at (770) 349-9219.