Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog
A Holiday Reality Check for North Carolina Drivers
The holidays are a time for celebration—but they’re also one of the busiest seasons of the year for law enforcement across North Carolina.
From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, police agencies increase patrols, set up checkpoints, and closely monitor highways and local roads. As a result, speeding tickets, DWIs, and traffic charges spike dramatically during the holiday season.
Many people assume a minor ticket or charge will “work itself out” after the holidays. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.
Why Holiday Traffic Charges Are More Serious Than People Think
Speeding Tickets Don’t Disappear After the Holidays
A speeding ticket in North Carolina is not just an inconvenience. Even a seemingly minor citation can:
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Add points to your driver’s license
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Increase your insurance rates
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Follow you for years on your driving record
Holiday enforcement doesn’t mean holiday leniency. In fact, officers are often under pressure to crack down on violations during this time.
Minor Charges Can Have Major Consequences
Many drivers underestimate how much a single charge can affect their life.
In North Carolina, traffic and criminal charges can impact:
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Your ability to keep or renew your driver’s license
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Your auto insurance premiums
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Employment, especially for jobs that require driving or background checks
What feels small today can become expensive and stressful down the road.
Holiday Checkpoints Mean More Stops—and More Charges
North Carolina law allows sobriety checkpoints during peak travel times, and the holidays are prime season.
Even if you aren’t impaired, checkpoints can lead to:
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DWI charges
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Driving while license revoked (DWLR)
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Outstanding warrants coming to light
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Citations for unrelated traffic issues
Many people are caught off guard simply because they didn’t expect to be stopped at all.
Waiting Until January Doesn’t Help
One of the most common mistakes we see is waiting until the new year to deal with a ticket or charge.
In reality:
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Court dates don’t pause for the holidays
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Deadlines still apply
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Missed action can lead to additional penalties, license issues, or warrants
Addressing a charge early often gives you more options—not fewer.
What to Remember This Holiday Season
Santa may deliver gifts, but he can’t:
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Dismiss a traffic ticket
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Reduce a DWI charge
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Protect your license or record
Being proactive is the best way to protect yourself.
The criminal defense attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC make it their mission to zealously defend their clients on a wide range of criminal matters at both the state and federal levels. These matters may include any charge from traffic offenses; DWI/DUI; drug charges (from simple possession to possession with intent to distribute and trafficking); gun permit denials; weapons offenses; and property crimes (larceny, breaking and entering, robbery, fraud, embezzlement, white collar offenses); to sexually related offenses (indecent exposure; sexual assault, crimes against nature, removal from sex offender registry); and violent crimes (domestic violence; assault; manslaughter; homicide, murder). Other legal issues that Arnold & Smith, PLLC criminal clients may be facing include restraining orders, restraining order and probation violations, expungements; appeals; and immigration issues related to criminal charges. Our criminal defense attorneys are passionate about ensuring that individuals empower themselves by being informed about their constitutional rights, and stand at the ready to fight in the defense of those facing criminal charges.
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