Vehicle without Required Equipment or in Unsafe Condition

Every vehicle manufactured in the United States or sold in the United States must meet a certain amount of requirements regarding required equipment as outlined by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards as well as the laws set forth by each individual state where the vehicle is being sold. These laws require that all vehicle being manufactured and sold must have auditory, visual, and electrical devices installed as well as brakes, rails, bars, a standee line for buses, steps and flooring. The horn of a vehicle must be audible in normal conditions from a distance of no less than 200 feet and the horn must be easily accessible to the driver. Each vehicle must have the same amount of windshield wipers that were installed at the time of manufacturing, two side view mirrors, a rear view mirror and brakes.

Fines and Penalties

If a vehicle is pulled over during a traffic stop and the officer notices missing windshield wipers, a missing side view mirror, or that the rear view mirror is missing, he or she can issue a traffic ticket to the motorist for operating a vehicle without required equipment or in an unsafe condition. The fine for such an infraction will range from $95-$300 depending on the amount of equipment missing from the vehicle and the condition the vehicle was operated in when pulled over for the traffic stop.

Traffic Points and Impact on Driving Record / License

Operating a vehicle without the required equipment or in an unsafe condition is considered a moving offense, and comes with points being placed on the motorist’s license. The points assessed to the license will total two and will remain active for three years. The points will be eligible to be removed from the license after being on the license for four years.

Hiring a Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been issued a traffic ticket for operating a vehicle without required equipment or in an unsafe condition, contact an experienced traffic tickets attorney immediately for expert legal counsel regarding your case today. An attorney will be able to investigate your offense and draft the best defense for the violation possible in an effort to have the ticket removed from the motorist’s record.