Police officers patrol the streets for several purposes. They must ensure that people are driving vehicles that aren’t a hazard to others on the road and that they are operating them safely. There are several things that might lead to an officer initiating a traffic stop; some of these are mechanical violations and others are violations of traffic laws.
A mechanical violation has to do with the safety components of the vehicle. You can be pulled over for things like the turn signals, headlights, taillights or brake lights not working. Other examples include broken mirrors or other glass on the vehicle. A large crack on the windshield could be considered a mechanical violation. In some cases, you may only have to get the issue repaired and maybe pay a fine.
A traffic violation is something that occurs while your vehicle is moving. These may lead to a fine, court date and other actions. Many of these have points attached to them but they aren’t all the same number of points. Each violation is assigned a number of points from three to six, depending on the severity. Having too many points on your driving record can lead to you having your license suspended. Some violations fall off the record after a certain amount of time, but others are permanent.
You do have the option to fight many violations in court to try to minimize the penalties that you’ll have to face because of the incident. Finding someone who is familiar with the system and can work with you throughout these matters is important, especially if you’re facing one that’s permanent or that will remain on your record for a lengthy time.