If you have received a traffic ticket for running a red light, you may be considering contesting the ticket. This is because a traffic violation can cost you a lot of money. The fine itself can be hefty and your insurance rates can also increase. If you are looking to contest the ticket, you may be looking to hire a traffic ticket defense attorney to help you. This type of attorney knows the defenses that can be used to help you get your ticket dismissed. Here are three common defenses used for red light violations. 

You Couldn't Stop for Safety Reasons

If you received a ticket for running a red light, one of the defenses that an attorney may use to try to fight the charges is that you could not safely come to a stop. If the roads were slick or the speed limit is high, you may have felt that if you slammed on your brakes to stop, you would have slid into the intersection, creating an potential hazard. Unfortunately, it can be hard to prove these cases, but sometimes a judge is sympathetic and will give you a pass. 

The Red Light Cameras May Not Be Legal

If you received a ticket courtesy of a red light camera, an attorney can use many defenses related to whether or not the camera was legal. There are many laws about where a camera can be placed, what notifications must be placed, and how they must be maintained. If any of these laws are not followed, your ticket may be invalid and can potentially be thrown out. 

There Was an Emergency

The last defense to a red light ticket that an attorney may use is that there was an emergency. If a loved one was dying in the hospital or you were rushing to get your pregnant wife in labor to the hospital in time, a judge has the discretion to dismiss the ticket. Unfortunately, they are not required to legally dismiss the ticket in emergencies, but many will if you can present evidence that it was a true emergency and time was of the essence. 

If you have received a ticket for running a red light, there are defenses that can be raised to help fight the ticket. A traffic ticket defense lawyer can assist you with this process. They know which defenses work best in your area and the laws regarding cameras in your city, county, and state.