Common Motor Vehicle Violations

There are many common motor vehicle violations that a person might face in Connecticut. In this section, you can learn more about them.

Especially for young people, street racing seems like an exciting thing to do. Now that you have your license, you feel free, and you want to prove your freedom. Even if racing in cars is a little reckless, you probably don’t think that anything bad will happen. But the truth is that partaking in races can be dangerous. It is also against the law. If the police catch you, you will face a racing charge. If this is your situation, you can learn more about this charge here.

Racing

Street racing might look appealing in the movies. But, it is a serious offense that can be very dangerous to other racers, pedestrians, and yourself. You can also cause a lot of property damage if you lose control of your vehicle while committing this crime. If you get caught committing this crime in Connecticut, you face:

• A year-long suspension of your license for a first offense, along with a fine of $75-600.
• For a second offense, you face a year-long suspension of your license and a fine of $100-1,000.

If an injury to someone else does occur, or if property is damaged due to this offense, the penalties can increase. They could include monetary compensation to those injured or those who’s property got damaged, additional fines, a longer suspension of your license, and other potential penalties. This is because on top of this charge, you can face other charges.

Road Rage

Road rage – we all get it. Whether we mumble at another driver under our breath, shout out load, or lay on our horns, we are all guilty of getting angry at other drivers at some point in our lives. However, these outbursts of anger can turn dangerous when they prompt altercations with other drivers. If you damage someone else’s property as a result of your road rage, you can be charged with criminal mischief.

Here, I will discuss the different degrees of criminal mischief. I will also explain the penalties that a person convicted of each type of criminal mischief faces. If you face a criminal mischief charge, this information can help you.

There are four degrees of criminal mischief.

1st Degree Criminal Mischief
If you damage public utilities or cause damage of property that costs $1,500 or more, you will be guilty of 1st degree criminal mischief, which is a felony. You face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted.

2nd Degree Criminal Mischief

If you purposefully cause property damages that cost more than $250, you will be guilty of this crime. You face a fine of up to $2,000 and a jail sentence of up to one year.

3rd Degree Criminal Mischief

If you intentionally damage or tamper with someone’s property, you face this charge. If convicted, you face a fine of up to $1,000 and a jail sentence of up to six months.

4th Degree Criminal Mischief

This doesn’t really apply to road rage, but if you damage smoke alarms, fire alarms, or fire hydrants, you face this charge. If convicted, you could receive a fine of up to $500 and a jail sentence that could last for three months.

Driving to Intimidate

Driving to intimidate is a crime in the state of Connecticut. Sometimes, this crime occurs due to a lapse in judgement. You might realize that you are driving too close to another car. But, sometimes driving too closely to another car happens because you are trying to intimidate another driver. In these situations, such driving can turn dangerous. Learn more about this crime and what to do if you are charged with it here.

Driving too closely to the car in front of you, which is also known as driving to intimidate, might not seem like a big deal. Sometimes you might be in a rush. Sometimes, you don’t even realize that you are driving too closely to the car in front of you. You probably see people do it every day. However, driving to intimidate is a crime in the state of Connecticut. Driving too closely can cause:

• Motor vehicle accidents, which are always the fault of the person following too closely.
• Road rage, which can have serious consequences if it goes unchecked, such as altercations and even assault between drivers.
• Aggressive driving.

If you are charged with this crime, it means that you were following another car too closely. There should be a minimum of a three second count between your car and the car in front of you, or you can be charged with driving to intimidate. This violation will result in a 30-day suspension of your license and/or a fine of $100-300.

For a second or third offense, you face a year-long license suspension and a fine of $600. Avoiding driving to intimidate along with these consequences altogether is in your best interest.