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Hazardous Moving Violation Explained for Kennett and Missouri

Aaron Sachs & Associates, P. C.

Did you ever wonder what "hazardous moving violation" means? traffic stop.jpgKennett, Missouri car accident lawyers run across all types of accidents and the traffic violations that go with them. And we know sometimes the language and the terms used can be confusing. So here is a short run-down on "Hazardous Moving Violations" including what they are and why they matter.

Why They Matter
Hazardous moving violations, more commonly referred to as a traffic ticket or summons, account for 45 percent of the fatalities and 40 percent of the disabling injuries that result from car accidents in Missouri.

In Kennett, and all of Missouri really, car accidents are primarily caused by driver error. Many of these driver errors are also moving violations. Moving violations are infractions such as speeding, following too close, and failure to yield for example. The other type of traffic violation is non-moving violations. Examples of this type of infraction are parking violations, expired plates, and improper registration.

Who Keeps Track of Hazardous Moving Violations
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and local and county governments set laws to control traffic and increase traffic safety. To do this effectively they need to determine which factors are involved in unsafe driving and which are the leading cause of car accidents. To determine these factors driving behaviors are categorized.

Once driving behaviors are categorized they can be tracked and studied. One aspect of studying the data involves tracking moving violations. These are of most interest to traffic safety because these are the driving behaviors that lead to property damage, personal injury, and loss of life. Tracking the violations help track and identify the most common behaviors. That data shows the State and local agencies and the NHTSA how most car accidents occur. With that information those agencies can create programs with the goal of reducing traffic accidents.

How Tracking Moving Violations Makes a Difference

Armed with the statistics, policy setters and program designers can work towards creating education programs, enforcement programs, and even change traffic and road engineering to help reduce the number of car accidents.

What are Hazardous Moving Violations
Any moving violation that puts the driver or another driver at risk of an accident is considered unsafe and therefore hazardous. The following is a list of hazardous moving violations.

  • Inattentive to Driving Violations (All)

  • Speeding Violations (All)

  • Driving Under the Influence

  • Lane Violations (All)

  • Following too closely

  • Signaling Violations (All)

  • Safety Belt Violations (All)

  • Traffic Control Device Violations (All)

  • Failed to Yield Right-of-Way Violations (All)

  • Passing Violations (All)

  • Improper Turns

There are varying degrees of these infractions including sub-categories. In Missouri if the infraction resulted in a car accident it becomes a class A misdemeanor. The law states every person shall drive in a careful and prudent manner. Hazardous means the driver is not driving in a careful and prudent manner.

The overall goal of NHTSA and MoDOT, as well as Kennett and Dunklin County Missouri, is to make roadways safe and to reduce the number of car accidents and the associated injuries, property damage, and lost lives. In order to track the driver behaviors responsible, the progress of traffic safety programs and the effects of enforcement programs on traffic safety some moving violations have been deemed hazardous and are entered into databases. They also carry higher penalties as a deterrent.

For information or advice about a particular moving violation as part of a car accident contact the Kennett Missouri car accident lawyers.

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