When police officers or Los Angeles officials reroute traffic, drivers quickly become frustrated at the delay. No driver wants to creep through rerouted traffic on already slow L.A. streets. Police officers and city officials use orange traffic cones, barricades, flares, and electronic beacons to direct traffic during a traffic reroute. Even though traffic rerouting patterns can be inconvenient and frustrating, it essential that drivers observe the direction of the cones and flares. If they don’t, drivers face receiving a traffic violation ticket even if no motor vehicle accident occurs. Those drivers who run over cones, don’t follow the correct pattern, or evade the designated route violate California’s regulation against unlawful traverse of a flare or cone pattern.
Under California Vehicle Code (CVC) 2818, it is unlawful to traverse, evade, or not follow the direction of an electronic beacon pattern, a flare pattern, or a cone pattern. The rule only applies when public safety personnel are controlling traffic or engaging in emergency scene management. Drivers face citations if they evade electronic beacon, flare, or cone patterns or any combination of those three traffic control patterns. The reason for the reroute is not relevant.
Police officers have issued citations when drivers unlawfully traverse their cars while their lights are flashing. In other words, the flashing lights of a stopped police vehicle might be “beacon” lights that signify a reroute under this traffic code violation.
Whether the reroute is due to a roadway emergency or is due to a road construction project, you are required to abide by the traffic pattern. Even if you’re at a concert, festival, or any other kind of ordinary event, you must still not traverse traffic cones, flares or beacon patterns. If you do, you risk receiving a traffic citation.
What Are The Consequences of Unlawful Traverse of a Traffic Pattern?
Orange County & Los Angeles County drivers who violate CVC 2818 must pay a $238 fine. They will also face a point added to their driver’s license. Unfortunately, this section is not eligible to use Traffic School to avoid the driver’s point. The unlawful traverse of a flare or cone pattern is considered a moving violation in California. Other examples of moving violations include running a stop sign or red light, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and speeding. The DMV takes moving violations more seriously than non-moving violations.
Cheap Traffic Attorneys Can Help You Fight Your Unlawful Traverse of a Traffic Pattern Ticket
We understand how time-consuming and irritating fighting traffic violations can become. That’s why Cheap Traffic Attorneys help their clients by doing the following:
- Successfully arguing for a dismissal of your unlawful traverse of a cone pattern ticket
- Fighting to keep the ticket off your auto insurance to keep your premiums from increasing
- Fighting to keep you from receiving a point on your driver’s license
- Appearing in court on your behalf so you don’t have to take time out of your day
Consequences of a Point on Your License for Unlawful Traverse of a Traffic Cone Pattern
Have you received a traffic ticket for an unlawful traverse of an electronic beacon pattern, a flare pattern, or a cone pattern? If so, you might think it’s no big deal. Perhaps you think you’ll pay the $238 fine and take the point on your driver’s license. If you have previous points on your driver’s license, however, the additional point could result in the traffic court suspending your driver’s license. A California DMV will suspend your license for six months if it deems you to be a negligent operator. Negligent operators have too many points on their licenses. You’re considered a negligent operator if you receive the following:
- 4 points within one year
- 6 points within two years
- 8 points within three years
In some professions, employers terminate the employment of those who lose the ability to drive in California. Even if you pay your fine, you’ll still receive a point on your license because you committed a moving violation. The DMV considers the unlawful traverse of traffic cone patterns a moving violation because your car was in motion while you failed to follow re-route directions.
While receiving one point on your license may not be a severe issue, the license point will remain on your record for three years. Failure to fight your ticket in court will result in the following negative consequences:
- The DMV will automatically place one point on your California driving record for 36 months
- The DMV will suspend your license if you receive 4 or more points on your license
- You will probably have an increase in your insurance rates
Legal Defenses
At Cheap Traffic Attorneys, we investigate the facts surrounding our client’s traffic violations. A primary defense to the unlawful traverse of a flare or cone pattern is that the cone pattern did not visibly demonstrate where drivers were supposed to drive. In many cases, it is difficult for drivers to determine where they are supposed to drive when traffic is rerouted. For example, if a driver sees orange traffic cones outlining a left-hand turn lane, he or she might assume that he can turn left.
Without a sign clearly showing that left-hand turns are prohibited, a driver could easily assume he or she could turn left. Our traffic attorneys will argue that the police officers or construction officials did not explicitly mark their traffic patterns when you received the ticket. We’ll attempt to persuade the traffic judge that your ticket should be dismissed.
Contact Our Los Angeles Unlawful Traverse of a Flare or Cone Pattern Attorney Today
Clients who hire Cheap Traffic Attorneys to fight their unlawful traverse of a cone pattern tickets in California receive experienced ticket representation. Our attorney provides affordable traffic ticket court representation in Southern California. We will appear in court on your behalf, so you don’t have to attend yourself. We’ll persuasively argue that the traffic court judge should dismiss your ticket for an unlawful traverse of a cone pattern. Contact us today, and one of our experienced traffic ticket attorneys will stand for you in traffic court and fight on your behalf.
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