MASSACHUSETTS TRAFFIC TICKET DEFENSE LAWYER
DEFEND CLIENTS CHARGED WITH MOVING VIOLATIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS
If you receive a traffic ticket in Massachusetts, be prepared to open your wallet really wide. Very few states have laws tougher than Massachusetts traffic laws. The damage to your wallet begins with paying the fines. Then, your insurance rate in Massachusetts goes up. Lastly, after you pay for these two very large expenses, you may still end up with your license suspended in Massachusetts.
Imagine a state where the state works with the auto insurance companies in the state to set insurance rates. You can stop imagining if you live in Massachusetts, because that is exactly what is done. Massachusetts and the auto insurance companies have jointly created a Safe Driver Insurance Program (SDIP).
The entire purpose of the SDIP is to put the greatest burden on the drivers who receive the most traffic violations. All of this translates into, you get points, and you will pay increased premiums for auto insurance. To make things even worse for those who get traffic tickets, the points stay on your record for a long time. So you keep paying the high auto insurance premium for a very long time. You get five or more violations within 3 years and you either go to traffic school or you loose your license. Get seven or more violations in three years, do not pass go. Just loose your license. No questions asked.
To obtain a general overview of traffic law defense, please click here.
To learn more about the laws pertaining to traffic law defense in Virginia or Maryland, please click on the state.
What to Do if You Get a Traffic Ticket?
You only have 20 days to make a choice when you get a traffic ticket in Massachusetts. Pay the fine by mail or ask for a hearing. Ignore the ticket and you may face extra fines, or even worse have your licenses suspended. Worst case scenario, have the judge issue a warrant for your arrest.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE:
101 Federal Street, Suite 1900
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Phone: 888-437-7747
The following are some of the traffic laws in Massachusetts.
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Meeting vehicles
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Passing vehicle traveling in same direction
- Driving vehicles in a single lane; motorcycles, riding and passing
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Driving in lane nearest right side of way
- Right of way of fire engines, patrol vehicles and ambulances; obstruction; penalties
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Right-of-way at intersecting ways; turning on red signals
- Marked crosswalks; yielding right of way to pedestrians; penalty
M.G.L.A. 89 § 1- Meeting vehicles (top)
When persons traveling with vehicles meet on a way, each shall reasonably drive his vehicle to the right of the middle of the traveled part of such way, so that the vehicles may pass without interference, except that the department of highways may modify such restriction by pavement markings on state highways, on ways leading thereto and on all main highways between cities and towns. The department may by permit, revocable upon notice, authorize cities and towns to modify such restriction by pavement markings. All markings shall be in accordance with accepted standards of engineering practice, as provided in section two of chapter eighty-five.
The provisions of this section shall not be construed as prohibiting a vehicle from crossing a solid center pavement marking line or lines in making a left turn into or from a private way.
M.G.L.A. 89§ 2- Passing vehicle traveling in same direction (top)
Except as herein otherwise provided, the driver of a vehicle passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction shall drive a safe distance to the left of such other vehicle; and, if the way is of sufficient width for the two vehicles to pass, the driver of the leading one shall not unnecessarily obstruct the other. Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on visible signal and shall not increase the speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
The driver of a vehicle may, if the roadway is free from obstruction and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles, overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle when the vehicle overtaken is (a) making or about to make a left turn, (b) upon a one-way street, or (c) upon any roadway on which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement.
M.G.L.A. 89§ 4A- Driving vehicles in a single lane; motorcycles, riding and passing (top)
When any way has been divided into lanes, the driver of a vehicle shall so drive that the vehicle shall be entirely within a single lane, and he shall not move from the lane in which he is driving until he has first ascertained if such movement can be made with safety. The operators of motorcycles shall not ride abreast of more than one other motorcycle, shall ride single file when passing, and shall not pass any other motor vehicle within the same lane, except another motorcycle.
M.G.L.A. 89§ 4B- Driving in lane nearest right side of way (top)
Upon all ways the driver of a vehicle shall drive in the lane nearest the right side of the way when such lane is available for travel, except when overtaking another vehicle or when preparing for a left turn. When the right lane has been constructed or designated for purposes other than ordinary travel, a driver shall drive his vehicle in the lane adjacent to the right lane except when overtaking another vehicle or when preparing for a left or right turn; provided, however, that a driver may drive his vehicle in such right lane if signs have been erected by the department of highways permitting the use of such lane.
M.G.L.A. 89§ 7- Right of way of fire engines, patrol vehicles and ambulances; obstruction; penalties (top)
The members and apparatus of a fire department while going to a fire or responding to an alarm, police patrol vehicles and ambulances, and ambulances on a call for the purpose of hospitalizing a sick or injured person shall have the right of way through any street, way, lane or alley. Whoever willfully obstructs or retards the passage of any of the foregoing in the exercise of such right shall be punished by a fine of fifty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than three months for the first offense and by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for up to one year for a second and subsequent offenses; provided, however, that for a third or subsequent offense the court or the registry of motor vehicles, in addition to any such fine or imprisonment, may suspend the license of the person so convicted and may order mandatory classroom retraining in motor vehicle and traffic laws.
M.G.L.A. 89§ 8- Right-of-way at intersecting ways; turning on red signals (top)
When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection of any ways, as defined in section one of chapter ninety, at approximately the same instant, the operator of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. Any operator intending to turn left, in an intersection, across the path or lane of vehicles approaching from the opposite direction shall, before turning, yield the right-of-way until such time as the left turn can be made with reasonable safety. Any operator of a vehicle entering a rotary intersection shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle already in the intersection. The foregoing provisions of this section shall not apply when an operator is otherwise directed by a police officer, or by a traffic regulating sign, device or signal lawfully erected and maintained in accordance with the provisions of section two of chapter eighty-five and, where so required with the written approval of the department of highways and while such approval is in effect.
At any intersection on ways, as defined in section one of chapter ninety, in which vehicular traffic is facing a steady red indication in a traffic control signal, the driver of a vehicle which is stopped as close as practicable at the entrance to the crosswalk or the near side of the intersections or, if none, then at the entrance to the intersection in obedience to such red or stop signal, may make either (1) a right turn or (2) if on a one-way street may make a left turn to another one-way street, but shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic proceeding as directed by the signal at said intersection, except that a city or town, subject to section two of chapter eighty-five, by rules, orders, ordinances, or by-laws, and the department of highways on state highways or on ways at their intersections with a state highway, may prohibit any such turns against a red or stop signal at any such intersection, and such prohibition shall be effective when a sign is erected at such intersection giving notice thereof. Any person who violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be punished by a fine of not less than thirty-five dollars.
M.G.L.A. 89§ 11- Marked crosswalks; yielding right of way to pedestrians; penalty (top)
When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way, slowing down or stopping if need be so to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk marked in accordance with standards established by the department of highways if the pedestrian is on that half of the traveled part of the way on which the vehicle is traveling or if the pedestrian approaches from the opposite half of the traveled part of the way to within 10 feet of that half of the traveled part of the way on which said vehicle is traveling.
No driver of a vehicle shall pass any other vehicle which has stopped at a marked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross, nor shall any such operator enter a marked crosswalk while a pedestrian is crossing or until there is a sufficient space beyond the crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle he is operating, notwithstanding that a traffic control signal may indicate that vehicles may proceed. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $200. Whenever a pedestrian is injured by a motor vehicle in a marked crosswalk, the department of state police or the municipal police department with jurisdiction of the street, in consultation with department of state police if deemed appropriate, shall conduct an investigation into the cause of the injury and any violation of this section or other law or ordinance and shall issue the appropriate civil or criminal citation or file an application for the appropriate criminal complaint, if any. This section shall not limit the ability of a district attorney or the attorney general to seek an indictment in connection with the operation of a motor vehicle which causes injury or death and which violates this section.
To contact a Massachusetts traffic defense attorney, please contact us via e-mail, phone, or by filling out our on-line form.
Our Massachusetts traffic attorneys and staff in Boston, Massachusetts, speak the following languages in addition to English: Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Cantonese, Mandarin & Malaysian.
