Vehicle & Traffic Law § 1226 “No Hands on Wheel/Steering Device”

VTL § 1226 prohibits motorists from driving without hands. Pleading guilty or being found guilty of vehicle & Traffic Law 1226 will put two points on your New York driving record. The fine is determined by the judge with the maximum being $150 + $88 surcharge in city courts and $93 surcharge in town or village courts. Most importantly, pleading guilty or being found guilty of this violation will likely cause your insurance rates to increase.

Statute

The wording of VTL § 1226 provides:

§ 1226. Control of steering mechanism. No person shall operate a motor vehicle without having at least one hand or, in the case of a physically handicapped person, at least one prosthetic device or aid on the steering mechanism at all times when the motor vehicle is in motion..

VTL V 1226 as a Plea Offer

VTL 1226 is often offered as a “plea bargain” to motorists charged with cell phone violations. If you were given a 1226 plea offer, then it may make sense to take the offer if you don’t want to pay an attorney to get a better deal. Your points will get reduced from five to two. However, these plea offers can often be improved if handled properly.

Fighting a 1226 Ticket

Before sending in a guilty plea to VTL §1226, it is probably best to consult with a traffic ticket lawyer. If you want to avoid points on your record, then you need to plead Not Guilty. An attorney can go to court in your place and fight the charges. You may then be able to avoid points entirely and avoid the increased insurance premiums.

Benjamin Goldman Law Office

The Benjamin Goldman Law Office is a New York State law firm that practices Traffic Law. Our firm has experience with V & TL 1226 violations. We help clients in all areas of New York State including Upstate New York, North Country, Capital District, Long Island, Western New York, Hudson Valley, Southern Tier, New York City, Mohawk Valley, Catskill Mountains, Central New York, and the Finger Lakes. The team at the Benjamin Goldman Law Office is confident that they can help with your § 1226 ticket. Please feel free to get in touch with us at your convenience. The Benjamin Goldman Law Office provides motorists with a free consultation. We can be reached by website submission, text message, email, in-person visit, or phone call. We look forward to working on defending you against the § 1226 ticket.

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