#1 Traffic Ticket Lawyers in New York & New Jersey
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Call Right Now: (212) 300-2832
In order for traffic to be able to move smoothly, cars must be able to pass through intersections. Unfortunately, in some very busy intersections- especially in major cities like New York City- traffic can back up for many miles and motorists may find themselves driving aggressively to try to get where they are going as fast as possible.
One way that motorists may try to get to their destination faster is by moving forward into an intersection, even if there is no place for them to legally go at the moment. If a motorist is approaching an intersection with a traffic backup and the driver isn’t sure the backup will clear in time for him to get through the intersection before the light changes, the motorist could decide to enter the intersection without knowing there is room to clear the intersection completely. In this case, the motorist could find himself “blocking the box.”
A motorist who blocks an intersection could be in violation of New York’s traffic laws. Drivers can be ticketed for blocking the box. You need to know the law and know how to respond if you receive a citation. NY Traffic Firm can help.
Give us a call if you’ve been accused of breaking any New York rules of the road, including the rules related to blocking the box. Our legal team can help you to explore defense options, find ways to introduce reasonable doubt, or help with the negotiation of favorable deals to reduce penalties. Give us a call today to talk with New York traffic ticket lawyers for help.
New York Vehicle and Traffic Code Section 1175 prohibits “blocking the box” by establishing rules and regulations related to the obstruction of traffic at intersections. The “box” is the center of an intersection, between the four corner’s of the intersection.
Under this New York law, no one is allowed to drive into an intersection if vehicle traffic is stopped at the opposite side of the intersection. A motorist must make sure there is adequate space on the opposite side of the intersection in order to leave room for the vehicle that he is driving. The “box” could be blocked if drivers disobey this rule and mov into the intersection when the light is green or yellow, even if they cannot clear the intersection before the light turns red and opposing traffic has a turn to travel.
This rule against blocking the box is the guiding rule applicable for drivers in deciding whether or not to enter an intersection. If a driver does enter an intersection and there is not room for the motorist to get through, the motorist could end up blocking traffic for drivers coming from opposing sides of the intersection. This behavior, blocking the box, could cause substantial traffic delays as drivers sit at intersections but cannot go when it is there turn because someone is blocking their path.
Keeping intersections clear is vital to avoiding this kind of gridlock and protecting everyone’s commute. This law makes an exception, however, for a motorist who are planning on making a turn. A driver is allowed to enter an intersection in order to make a turn, even if the traffic in front is stopped, as long as the driver can safely clear the intersection.
You don’t have roll over, pay the citation and be done. Over-eager traffic enforcement intermingles with errors every day. Always be ready to fight back. The odds are in your favor when you work with NY Traffic Firm.
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Blocking the box can result in a fine of more than $100 for a motorist. Within New York City, both police and traffic enforcement agents are able to issue citations for blocking the box. The traffic enforcement agents can issue these citations using handheld devices that are able to scan a vehicle’s registration sticker and pull information from it. This means more tickets can be issued.
Motorists need to be aware of the possible fines associated with blocking the box. It is also important to realize that there are periodic crackdowns, with traffic enforcement agents routinely stationed at busy intersections to issue citations. If you are cited, you could be forced to pay a large fine.
If you are accused of blocking the box, you may not simply want to pay the fine and accept that you’re guilty of violating traffic laws against blocking intersections. There may be options available to you to fight the citation with help from a Simon Kabzan – a New York traffic ticket lawyer. You will need to act quickly, as you have only a limited amount of time to try to fight the ticket. You should contact an attorney right away for help finding out what your options are.
NY Traffic Firm has provided assistance to many motorists who were accused of blocking the box. Give our firm a call today to find out how our legal team can help you to try to avoid the fines and other penalties associated with an accusation of blocking the box.
