What are the potential consequences of severe traffic violations?

For a major traffic offense in Maryland, you could potentially be facing jail time, probation, fines, or even the loss of your driving privileges altogether. Being convicted of a serious traffic violation can leave you with a criminal record that may significantly impact your future, including your education and employment prospects, your housing options, and your personal and professional relationships. The rest of your life shouldn’t be shaped by this one moment behind the wheel. Legal representation by experienced attorneys can help you protect your future and minimize the impact these charges could have on your life.

What are Maryland’s driving without a license laws?

Even if it is accidental, driving without a valid Maryland driver’s license is a criminal offense. Driving on a suspended license, in particular, is nearly always a serious offense because the defendant has had their license revoked for a reason but decided to take the risk of operating a motor vehicle anyway. If you have been accused of driving without a license or on a suspended license, you risk penalties such as: Jail time Fines and financial penalties Further loss of driving privileges, possibly for years or indefinitely For the infraction of driving without a license, a minor who hasn’t yet obtained a license in the first place will likely lose the chance to obtain one legally for an extended length of time. Driving without a license could also affect your ability to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in the future. Experienced Maryland serious traffic offense lawyers like Maronick Law LLC can help you fight charges for driving without a license or negotiate a lesser charge.

When should I consult an attorney for a major traffic violation?

In the event of any significant legal matter, hiring a lawyer as soon as possible is advisable. The sooner you have a skilled defense lawyer on your side, the more options you may have for resolving your serious traffic offense case in a way that’s beneficial to you. Aggressive and knowledgeable legal counsel may be able to get your charges dropped or reduced, negotiate a plea deal, or put up a strong defense for you in court.

Maryland Serious Traffic Offense Lawyers | Serious Traffic Violation Attorneys Glen Burnie, MD

Serious Traffic Violation Attorneys in Glen Burnie, MD Providing Serious Traffic Violation Defense in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Montgomery County, and Throughout Maryland

In Maryland, there are relatively minor traffic citations, and then there are serious traffic violations that could drastically impact your future. If convicted of a major traffic offense, you could be subject to high fines, long-term loss of driving privileges, and potentially even jail time. The Maryland serious traffic offense lawyers at Maronick Law LLC know the stakes, which is why we’re prepared to fight relentlessly for a more favorable outcome for you.

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Serious Traffic Offense Charges in Glen Burnie, MD

Major traffic violations in Maryland encompass all of the most harshly punished offenses that can occur behind the wheel. These violations typically involve either a potential risk to the safety of others or actual harm to someone. Due to the severity of these legal issues and their consequences, you need skilled representation from serious traffic violation attorneys in Glen Burnie, MD, to fight these charges and pursue the most favorable outcome possible.

Vehicular Manslaughter and Vehicular Homicide

Being involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident could, under certain circumstances, result in criminal charges. Maryland state law recognizes numerous offenses that relate to causing the death of another person through one’s operation or control of a vehicle.

Vehicular Manslaughter

Charges for manslaughter generally arise out of instances in which negligent operation of the vehicle caused the deadly accident. The state recognizes both violations of vehicular manslaughter due to gross negligence (under Section 2-209 of Maryland’s Criminal Law Article) and criminal negligence (under Section 2-210).

Even a first offense of vehicular manslaughter arising out of gross negligence is a felony offense. If convicted on this charge, you could face up to $5,000 in fines and up to 10 years in prison. As a first offense, criminally negligent vehicular manslaughter in Maryland is a misdemeanor charge for which penalties can amount to up to $5,000 in fines and up to three years of incarceration.

Vehicular Homicide

If you’re accused of causing a fatal accident that involved alcohol, drugs, or other controlled dangerous substances, you might be charged with vehicular homicide rather than manslaughter. First offenses of all such vehicular homicide violations are felony charges. A conviction on vehicular homicide while impaired by drugs, impaired by a controlled dangerous substance, or under the influence of alcohol could send you to jail for up to five years. The maximum prison term for a first offense while being impaired by alcohol (but not meeting the threshold for being under the influence) is three years.

Drunk Driving

Even if no one is harmed in the alleged incident, drunk driving is a severe violation under state law. Maryland issues citations for both driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while impaired (DWI). Generally, DUI refers to driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, known under Maryland law as driving under the influence per se, while impairment with a BAC between 0.07 and 0.08 constitutes DWI.

DUI is punished more harshly than DWI, although both charges constitute significant legal trouble and should be handled by experienced Maryland serious traffic offense lawyers. For a first-offense DUI, you could face up to a year of jail time, six months of license suspension, $1,000 in fines, and 12 points on your driving record, as the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration reported. Second DUI offenses are punishable by up to two years of incarceration, one year of license suspension, $2,000 in fines, and 12 points on your license.

For DWIs, a first offense could lead to two months of jail time, six months of license suspension, $500 in fines, and eight points on your driving record. A second offense increases potential jail time to one year and license suspension to nine to 12 months.

Hit and Run

Leaving the scene of an accident, even if you didn’t cause the crash, is another violation that the state takes seriously. Under Section 20-102 of the Maryland Transportation Article, the driver of all vehicles involved in an accident that results in bodily injury, death, or property damage are required to stop and remain at the scene of the accident until they have fulfilled all of their duties under the law (per Section 20-104, providing their information and rendering “reasonable assistance” to an injured party).

A hit and run in Maryland may constitute a felony offense. Depending on the specific circumstances, a hit and run that involves bodily injury or death to another person could send you to jail for up to one, five, or even 10 years and result in fines as high as $3,000, $5,000, or $10,000.

Don’t attempt to handle a hit and run charge yourself. This legal matter calls for the guidance of serious traffic violation attorneys in Glen Burnie, MD.

Reckless Driving

Section 21-901.1 of the Maryland Transportation Article identifies reckless driving as operating a motor vehicle in a manner that demonstrates “wanton or willful disregard” for others’ safety or property. Conviction of a reckless driving offense can result in a fine of up to $1,000, considerably more than the $500 maximum fine that applies to most misdemeanor motor vehicle violations under Section 27-101 of the Maryland Transportation Article.

However, if the incident out of which your reckless driving charges arise involved serious bodily injury to anyone, a death, or property damage, you may be facing more severe penalties, including potential jail time and license suspension.

Speeding

While some speeding tickets are relatively minor, those that involve particularly high speeds or repeat offenses can have more serious consequences. You could be fined over $500 for speeds 40 miles per hour above the posted limit or, if in a construction zone, up to $1,000. You could also receive up to five points on your license, depending on the amount over the speed limit you’re accused of driving. In some instances, speeding can even result in a reckless driving charge.

Driving Without a License or Driving on a Suspended License

You need a valid license to drive in the state of Maryland. Driving without a valid driver’s license, whether by mistake or through a deliberate bypassing of the driver’s licensing laws, can lead to facing criminal charges.

A number of different factors could give rise to driving without a license violations, including:

Failing to get an existing driver’s license renewed on schedule
Failing to get a Maryland driver’s license as a new resident of the state within the mandatory 60-day limit
Driving without ever passing the initial driver’s test or going through the proper procedures to get a license, including for young people and undocumented immigrants
Driving when a license has been revoked, whether due to violations such as a DUI conviction or to health issues such as a failed vision test

Driving in any of these circumstances in Maryland can result in arrest, jail time, a criminal record, fines and penalties, and difficulty obtaining or renewing a driver’s license in the future.

How Maronick Law LLC Can Help

Drivers all over the state turn to Maronick Law LLC when they need help beating charges for major traffic violations or minimizing the penalties of a citation.

Defending Against All Types of Major Traffic Charges

Our team of Maryland serious traffic offense lawyers has a successful history of providing strong defenses for clients charged with all types of major vehicle violations. We have more than 80 years of combined experience overcoming a wide array of challenges and can draw on these past successes to proactively plan for potential obstacles in your case.

Fighting Traffic Violations Anywhere in Maryland

We serve clients statewide, offering skilled legal representation out of numerous office locations throughout Maryland, including Glen Burnie, Baltimore, Ocean City, and Towson.

Providing Productive Case Reviews at No Cost

The best way to assess the value professional legal assistance could bring to your case is through a personal consultation with experienced Maryland serious traffic offense lawyers. Maronick Law LLC offers free initial consultations so you can get professional insights on your case and how the outcome of a major traffic offense could affect your short-term and long-term best interests.

Why Choose Maronick Law LLC?

Our experience, full array of legal defense services, and prior successes inspire defendants across the state to put their trust in us. Our serious traffic violation attorneys in Glen Burnie, MD, treat each and every client we represent as our most important client. We can analyze the specifics of your case, review your options, and help move you toward the most positive resolution possible under the circumstances.

Contact the Maryland Serious Traffic Offense Lawyers at Maronick Law LLC Today for a Free Case Evaluation

The Maryland serious traffic offense lawyers at Maronick Law LLC can advocate for your interests, working toward an outcome that avoids or reduces penalties such as jail time, fines, and license suspension. From building your case with meticulous care to aggressively protecting your rights in the courtroom, we always aim for the best result possible.

For help from serious traffic violation attorneys in Glen Burnie, MD, contact Maronick Law LLC online or call us today.

Maryland Serious Traffic Offense Lawyers