Category: News

A British man was shocked at what happened when his DeLorean reached more than 88mph. Instead of breaking the time-space continuum, as depicted in the “Back to the Future” trilogy, Nigel Mills was arrested for speeding near Margaretting, Chelmsford.

Mills, 55, bought the classic gull-winged car for $30,000 in 2004, but told The Telegraph that he scarcely drives it, mostly taking it out to car shows and the occasional joy ride. “Ironically, I was done for speeding in the car that doesn’t get on the road much,” he said. “I only drive it three or four times a year and did just 200 miles last year.”

Mills was able to successfully fight the summons and avoid any charges. He also insisted that he wasn’t trying to travel into the past to rewrite his family’s history. “I can honestly say I wasn’t trying to time travel. It was at 11 a.m. on Sunday and the road was completely clear,” he said.

It’s unlikely he would have been as successful at time traveling as he was at avoiding the speeding ticket, given that the car was not equipped with a flux capacitor or a Mr. Fusion.

If you or a loved one has been caught speeding, it is advisable that you consult an attorney since you can’t go back in time to correct your mistake. The lawyers of the Rosenblum Law Firm are skilled New York traffic ticket attorneys who are experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are currently taking public comments on new rules limiting highway speeds for trucks, buses, and other large vehicles. The regulations, which were proposed on August 26, would require newly made U.S. vehicles that weigh more than 26,000 pounds to be outfitted with speed-limiting technology.

The proposal only applies to newly manufactured vehicles and will not require older vehicles to be retrofitted, although that could change. According to the NHTSA, retrofitting vehicles made after 1990 could cost anywhere from $100 to $2,000 per vehicle. Heavy vehicles made before 1990 cannot be upgraded to include electronic speed capping devices.

Regulators have not decided what the new speed limit will be, but are considering caps of 60, 65, or 68 mph. The government will take public comments for 60 days before determining the final details of the regulations. Both agencies hope that electronically limiting speeds will prevent some of the more than 1,100 fatal crashes involving heavy trucks that occur each year. The new regulations could also save up to $1 billion in fuel costs.

The idea of electronically limiting truck speeds was first championed in 2006 by the nonprofit organization Road Safe America. It has the support of the American Trucking Associations, the nation’s largest trucking industry group, as well as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The technology has been available on diesel trucks since the 1990s and is actively used in Europe, Australia, and Japan.

According to the NHTSA, limiting heavy vehicles to 60 mph could save as many as 498 lives each year. A 65 mph limit could save up to 214 lives, and limiting it to 68 mph could save as many as 96 lives. It is unclear if these figures are based on the assumption that all of the 3.8 million heavy vehicles on U.S. roadways will be subject to that limit or just some.

Limiting trucks speeds could reduce other kinds of accident risks. Last year, an investigation by The Associated Press found that 14 states have speed limits that are equal to or higher than the speeds most heavy vehicle tires were designed to handle. Truck tires are rarely designed to go faster than 75 mph and tire manufacturers say exceeding that limit can cause tires to fail and blow out. If vehicles were unable to exceed that speed, they would be far less likely to see their tires fail.

However, some are concerned that limiting a driver’s ability to control speed could lead to more accidents, particularly if faster cars are forced to slow down for speed-limited trucks. This is particularly dangerous on interstate highways with speed limits between 75 and 80 mph. The Institute for Transportation Engineers notes that vehicles driving 10 mph slower than the prevailing speed are six times more likely to be involved in an accident than vehicles going 10 mph over the limit.

Commercial drivers license (CDL) holders are held to a higher standard than most other drivers. Speeding 15 miles or above and other run-of-the-mill moving violations are considered serious offenses when driving a commercial vehicle. The cost of a speeding ticket can run in the hundreds of dollars and can significantly increase your insurance rates. Moreover, being convicted of two serious traffic violations within a three-year period can result in a 60-day suspension.

If you or a loved one has been ticketed for speeding while driving a commercial vehicle, it is recommended that you consult an attorney to help you avoid the costs associated with a ticket. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is a skilled New York traffic ticket attorney who is experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

Most drivers would assume that police are more likely to pull over for speeding than tinted windows. If they’re driving in NYC, they’d be wrong. New data from Transportation Alternatives (TA), an advocacy group for cyclists in NYC, shows that the NYPD issued more tickets for tinted windows in the first five months of 2016 than for speeding or failure to yield combined.

TA’s report breaks down the number of tickets for window tints by precinct. The figures vary, with some, like the 73rd precinct in Brooklyn, issuing as many as eight times more tickets for tinted windows than for speeding – 1,257 compared to 162.

The report is intended as a criticism of the NYPD’s priorities when it comes to issuing traffic tickets. After all, TA notes, tinted windows are rarely a factor in traffic accidents. According to the report, in 2014, only 20 auto accidents occurred where window tints were a factor. Comparatively, 3,491 accidents involved unsafe speed and 6,966 involved a failure to yield the right of way to either a pedestrian or another vehicle. Even “animal actions” were responsible for 50 accidents that same year and 23 accidents were caused by eating or drinking (non-alcoholic beverages) behind the wheel.

While the report is a sharp rebuke, the trend is nothing new. In 2011, TA issued a report stating that the NYPD issued four times as many tickets for window tints as for speeding. A separate report by the NY Daily News shows that in 2012 officers issued almost twice as many citations for window tints as speeding.

Why do police issue so many tickets for window tints? Some argue it is because they are easy violations to spot. However, there’s real risk to such traffic stops, especially in light of recent events. If an officer can’t clearly see inside of a vehicle, he or she won’t know if the driver or a passenger had a gun.

Under New York State law, the windshield and front side windows must let 70% of the light through to be considered a legal tint. The same rule applies to the rear window unless the vehicle is equipped with rear-outside mirrors. Cops are technically required to measure a window using a tint meter, although for very dark windows an officer can sometimes rely on a visual inspection.

Tickets for tinted windows are notoriously difficult to fight and fines run about $80 per window. By comparison, a speeding ticket costs hundreds of dollars and carries at least 3 points on your licence, sometimes more.

If you are a loved one has been ticketed for speeding, tinted windows, or any other driving-related offense in New York, it is advisable that you retain an attorney to help fight the charges. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is an experienced criminal defense and traffic ticket attorney with offices in New York and New Jersey. Email him or call 888-203-2619 for a free consultation about your case.

A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found New Yorkers to be some of the angriest drivers on the road. The findings are even more egregious given that nearly 80% of American drivers have expressed significant anger, aggression, or road rage at least once in the past year. Even worse, approximately 8 million U.S. drivers engaged in extreme examples of road rage, including purposefully ramming another vehicle.

Drivers living in the Northeast – including cities like New York and Boston – were 30% more likely to yell, honk, or gesture angrily than people living in other parts of the country. Aggressive driving and road rage also varied considerably by age and gender, with male and younger drivers (ages 19 to 39) significantly more likely to engage in aggressive behaviors. For example, male drivers were more than three times as likely as female drivers to get out of the car and confront another driver.

Drivers who reported other unsafe behaviors behind the wheel, such as speeding and running red lights, were also more likely to show aggression. Those who reported recently speeding on a freeway, for example, were four times more likely to have also cut off another vehicle on purpose.

A significant percentage of U.S. drivers reported engaging in angry and aggressive behaviors over the past year, according to study estimates.

• Purposefully tailgating: 51%
• Yelling at another driver: 47%
• Honking to show annoyance or anger: 45%
• Making angry gestures: 33%
• Trying to block another vehicle from changing lanes: 24%
• Cutting off another vehicle on purpose: 12%

AAA offers these tips to help New Yorkers prevent road rage:

• Don’t offend: Never cause another driver to change speed or direction. That means not forcing other drivers to use their brakes or turn the steering wheel in response to something you have done.
• Be tolerant and forgiving: The other driver may just be having a really bad day. Assume that it’s not personal.
• Do not respond: Avoid eye contact, don’t make gestures, maintain space around your vehicle, and contact 9-1-1 if needed.

If you or a loved one has been ticketed or arrested for speeding, road rage, or other aggressive driving acts, it is essential that you consult an attorney. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is a skilled New York traffic ticket attorney who is experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

 

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New York drivers can expect to see an uptick in road work throughout the state. Municipalities across New York will receive an additional $100 million in funding for road repairs as part of PAVE NY, a new program established by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature in the 2016-2017 state budget.

PAVE NY will be administered by the state Department of Transportation as part of a five-year, $21.1 billion capital program. The program offers support for the repair and reconstruction of local roads and highways in 1,600 municipalities. The aim is to both improve the physical condition of local roads and also to create jobs and enhance local economic development.

“PAVE NY funds strategic investments in local roadways, helping ensure roadways across the state are in good repair, remain reliable for motorists and able to help foster regional economic growth for years to come,” Cuomo said in a statement released in June about the program.

The PAVE NY funds are in addition to what municipalities already receive from the state through the federally funded Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, through which New York receives $438 million each year.

Drivers should use caution and watch their speeds when driving in work zones. In addition to being extremely dangerous for the workers, speeding in a work zone also automatically doubles the fine. Under VTL 1180 (f), a work zone is any location where workers, work vehicles, equipment, supplies or other barriers are located. The extra penalties apply even when the construction site is not active, such as at night, so long as the other indicators of a work zone are present.

If you or a loved one has been ticketed for speeding in a work zone, it is recommended that you hire an attorney to help you avoid the additional costs associated with the ticket. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is a skilled New York traffic ticket attorney who is experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

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It’s difficult enough for most drivers to get good auto insurance rates without constantly changing insurance companies every few years, but a new study from the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) shows that this challenge adversely affects Americans with lower incomes.

CFA sought quotes for men and women in 15 cities across the US from the nation’s five largest car insurers: Geico, Progressive, Allstate, Farmers, and State Farm. The study first took quotes for drivers whose occupation was listed as either a manufacturing executive or a bank executive across 15 different ZIP codes. The process was then repeated using the same address and replacing the job title with a factory position or bank teller. While annual income was not directly considered, factors that often indicate income level — such as education, homeownership, and marital status — were taken into account.

CFA found that drivers with likely higher socioeconomic standing paid an average of just over $1,140, while those with lower economic status received an average quote of $1,825. GEICO charged the largest average percentage increase at 92% and Progressive had the second largest disparity, charging lower-income drivers 80% more. State Farm charged the smallest increase to lower-income drivers at 13%, but CFA noted that State Farm also includes credit scores in the final price, a factor that also disproportionately impacts lower-income drivers.

The exact increase varied by region. Queens County, NY saw the largest disparity, with low-income drivers paying 97% more while Los Angeles, CA had the lowest average difference with only a 9% difference.

Out of 280 drivers used in the study, there were 21 instances in which a company would not provide a quote to a lower-income driver, though those same companies offered quotes to the higher-income driver at the same address. Allstate rejected 13 applicants, State Farm refused quotes for 5, and Farmers denied 3. None of the high-income drivers were denied a quote.

As part of the study, CFA commissioned ORC International to survey 1,000 Americans about the use of various rating factors to determine auto insurance premiums. Eighty-three percent found it very fair or somewhat fair for auto insurers to consider traffic accidents and 84% said it was very or somewhat fair to use moving violations such as speeding tickets. However, the near opposite was true for non-driving related factors that reflect drivers’ economic status, including credit scores (only 38% said it was fair), homeownership (36%), occupation (35%), and level of education (30%).

In all cases, test subjects indicated a clean driving record. That’s likely because even minor traffic citations, including speeding and red-light violations, can cause insurance premiums to skyrocket.

If you or a loved one has been ticketed for speeding or any other traffic violation, call us to fight the ticket and avoid costly insurance premium increases. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is a skilled New York traffic ticket attorney who is experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

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Earlier this year, Tennessee joined the list of states that are stepping up enforcement of drivers who move too slowly in the left lane. Most states have laws requiring slow-moving vehicles to keep to the right and lawmakers are beginning to impose harsher penalties for those who disregard lane courtesy.

Tennessee joins Indiana, Georgia, Florida, and New Jersey in cracking down on left-lane slowpokes in an effort to reduce congestion, road rage, and accidents. Slow drivers in the left lane add additional risk, disrupt the flow of traffic, and can cause frustration among other drivers that can lead to dangerous decisions. In fact, data from the Institute of Transportation Engineers reveal that driving 10 mph slower than the prevailing speed is six times more likely to cause an accident than going 10 mph over the limit.

According to the New York Times, the National Motorists Association (NMA) blames the national speed limit set in the 1970s for the rise of left-lane slowpokes. The limit was set in 1973 by President Nixon in response to oil shortages. Though it was repealed in 1995, NMA says the change ultimately disenfranchised drivers as to the merits of both speed limits and overall lane courtesy.

In 2013, New Jersey upped the ante on left-lane enforcement. Drivers in the Garden State are required to remain in the right lane and only use the left lane for passing. Violators now face fines between $100 and $300. While New York is not specifically targeting left-lane hogs, drivers going below the posted minimum speed could get a ticket of up to $150.

If you or a loved one has been ticketed for driving below the minimum speed limit, it is advisable that you consult an attorney. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is a skilled New York traffic ticket attorney who is experienced in handling tickets for driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

An Ogdensburg, N.Y. man was arrested on July 9 after he blew through 27 stop signs while evading police. Andrew Guimond, 20, was taken into custody after he led police on a pursuit that covered 60 blocks. He was reportedly drunk at the time.

According to authorities, Guimond was driving more than 60 mph through residential neighborhood streets where the limit is 30 mph. Officials also allege he nearly struck two different police vehicles responding to assist with the pursuit.

Police apprehended Guimond after one officer used his vehicle to strike and stop Guimond’s car. There were no injuries. Guimond was charged with reckless driving, unlawfully fleeing a police officer, reckless endangerment, driving while intoxicated, and unlawful possession of marihuana. He was also charged with several vehicle and traffic law violations, including speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, failure to comply, and 27 counts of failure to stop for a stop sign.

If you or a loved one has been ticketed for speeding or any other traffic offense, it is advisable that you consult an attorney to help you avoid the costs associated with a ticket. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is a skilled New York traffic ticket attorney who is experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

Recently, news broke about a new technology that allows Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) officers to seize assets from prepaid cards during a traffic stop. The 16 new portable devices were implemented based on what Oklahoma officials say is an increase in the use of prepaid debit and gift cards among drug dealers.

The announcement brought with it renewed controversy over the right of law enforcement officials to confiscate money and property from those suspected of a crime, a practice commonly referred to as asset forfeiture. Critics argue that, like traffic and parking tickets, asset forfeiture has become a business that too many law enforcement agencies rely on to buy things like armored cars and coffeemakers.

Since 9/11, the use of asset forfeiture has skyrocketed. It’s estimated that between 2008 and 2014, police agencies across the U.S. spent $2.5 billion in seized assets.

This is still a small fraction of the income generated from traffic tickets. While exact data is hard come by, it is believed that Americans spend $6.2 billion annually on speeding tickets alone. Reports reveal that while there has been a steady decline in traffic citations in the U.S, overall revenue from traffic tickets is up, primarily as a result of fines going up in cost.

According to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the vast majority of traffic stops are for speeding and 80% of drivers pulled over by police say they were pulled over for legitimate reasons. Furthermore, only 3% of all traffic stops lead to a search of the driver or the vehicle. That said, an investigation by the Washington Post found that asset forfeiture affects the way police officers fight crime. A car headed into a major metropolitan area is likely to be carrying drugs; a car driving away is probably carrying money from the deal. Cops know this and take it into account when combating crime.

Could law enforcement’s ability to seize digital assets lead to a shift in police priorities away from traffic tickets? It seems unlikely, though it’s not impossible. Asset seizures ultimately represent a tiny portion of total revenue generated by police agencies. In addition, not all asset seizures are from traffic stops – many also come from raiding homes of suspects, sting operations, and the like – and speeding tickets alone generate 14 times more revenue than total asset seizures.

For most people, assets seized by police are extremely difficult to get back even if the person was never charged with a crime. The process is often complicated, time consuming, and expensive. Conversely, it is much more cost effective for most people to fight traffic tickets.  In fact, the Rosenblum Law Firm offers free consultations for any traffic stop, so call 888-434-0406 today for help with your traffic violation.

Next time you get a speeding ticket, take a moment to think of Mr. Jacob German – the first man in America to be pulled over for speeding.

On May 20, 1899, German, a New York City cab driver, was charging down a Manhattan street in his electric car when he was pulled over by a bicycle cop. It was then that German became the proud recipient of the first-ever speeding citation in the U.S.

His speed? A whopping 12 mph. (The limit was 8 mph.) His punishment? A night in the slammer.

While there is some contention, most agree that German did not receive a paper ticket. It took some years before legislators decided that jail time was an impractical solution to speed infractions so it wasn’t until 1904 that an Ohio man by the name of Harry Myers became the first person in the U.S. to receive a speeding ticket. He was also doing 12 mph in an 8 mph zone. It is unclear how much the ticket was for.

The concept of a speed limit had been in place in the U.S. for more than three centuries.  As early as 1652, the colony of New Amsterdam (which we now call New York) had passed a law that “no wagons, carts or sleighs shall be run, rode, or driven at a gallop.” The penalty for speeding started at “two pounds Flemish.” Interestingly, this is estimated to be about the same price as some speeding fines today: $150.

Nowadays, police officers use technology to monitor and calculate traffic speeds, but in the days of Myer and German, they used watches. A cop would use a stopwatch when a vehicle passed one of two artificial markers or landmarks that were a known distance apart and a little grade school math would determine the speed.

Brian Traynor of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Enforcement and Emergency Services offered one particularly interesting story of how early cops would catch speeders:

“New York City Commissioner William McAdoo set up a series of three dummy tree trunks at one-mile intervals along the Hudson Drive. A police officer equipped with a stopwatch and a telephone was concealed inside each fake tree. When a car sped past the first station, the officer inside telephoned the exact time to the officer in the next tree. The second officer set his watch accordingly. When the car passed his post, he computed its speed for the mile. If the speed was above the limit, he telephoned the officer in the third tree, who lowered a pole across the road and stopped the car.”

Speed traps, lofty fines, and even possible jail time — it seems that the centuries have not changed much about the way police treat speeding.

If you or a loved one has been caught speeding, it is advisable that you consult an attorney to help you avoid the costs associated with a ticket. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law Firm is a skilled New York traffic ticket attorney who is experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.

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