Knowingly Driving Uninsured Vehicle

Maryland law requires that all vehicle owners maintain insurance on their car or truck, and there are harsh penalties for violating these requirements. Anyone charged with knowingly driving an uninsured vehicle faces up to 1 year in jail and a $1,000 fine for a first offense, and up to 2 years in prison for a second offense under Transportation Article section 17.107. Convictions for this offense also carry 5 points on a person's driving record, which could trigger suspensions or revocations in certain cases. These punishments are actually more harsh than other serious traffic offenses such as DWI and leaving the scene of an accident, so that cannot be taken lightly. Benjamin Herbst will fight to have your uninsured vehicle citation dismissed prior to trial, to take the all risk of jail time and points off the table, and he never backs down from a trial if the State does not have sufficient evidence to prove the case. The State must also establish adequate probable cause to initiate the traffic stop, and there may be a motion to suppress the evidence if the stop appeared to be invalid. Contact Maryland traffic lawyer Benjamin Herbst anytime at 410-207-2598 if you have questions about your uninsured vehicle charge today. Benjamin handles cases in all jurisdictions including federal charges that occur at military bases, federal facilities or on the variety of different federally maintained parkways.

Maryland law requires a person to maintain at least $30,000 of bodily injury coverage for one person and at least $60,00 for two or more persons. The law additionally requires a $15,000 minimum for property damage. These policies can be expensive, and only get more expensive for those drivers with a not so perfect driving record. Regardless, the law is unforgiving and police are instructed to enforce it each time they encounter a person without car insurance. Like most laws, the State must prove the defendant committed a knowing violation in order to sustain a conviction. A defendant could potentially argue that the violation occurred without the knowledge of the vehicle owner if there were mix ups with the insurance company or with the payments. Under Maryland law the owner of a vehicle could be charged if he or she permits an individual to take the vehicle, but the defense of knowledge could also be argued if the owner of the vehicle did not give the driver permission to take the car.

In addition to arguing for a dismissal prior to trial or fighting the case in court, and experienced Maryland traffic lawyer may also be able to convince the state to reduce the citation to a simple infraction such as failure to provide insurance information. This may be a viable solution of the driver took steps to have the vehicle insured shortly after the stop. If you have been charged with knowingly driving uninsured vehicle anywhere in Maryland do not wait until your court date to contact a lawyer. The State and judges take these cases seriously and a conviction could lead to harsh consequences. Benjamin has successfully been able to negotiate for the dismissal of dozens of uninsured vehicle citations in both state and federal court and he is standing by to offer a free consultation about your citation. The Firm offers flexible payment plans for all traffic and criminal cases. In addition, all clients will have access to Benjamin 7 days a week for case updates and consultations, as we always keep our clients informed and updated.

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