When a driver receives a traffic citation for driving above the maximum legal speed limit, or a speeding ticket, they can feel anxiety, fear and shock. They might even shut down and ignore their responsibilities related to it. Yet speeding tickets are a normal part of the driving experience. Drivers who fail to act responsibly often receive higher fines and penalties than those issued for the original infraction. In many cases, drivers aren’t aware of the consequences of their actions or the steps they must take after a traffic violation.
Why Do Speed Limits Matter?
State and federal government transportation agencies and local municipalities post roadside signage to direct drivers to maintain specific speeds while traveling in different areas, including on highways, in cities and towns, and near schools and hospitals. People who drive above these speeds risk not only their lives but also the lives of other drivers, vulnerable road users and domestic and wild animals using the roads or nearby shoulders or sidewalks. They also risk causing unnecessary damage to nearby property.
Speed limits aren’t made-up numbers. Each one is a mathematical result from science-backed experiments designed to allow the maximum speed in a specific traffic zone while decreasing the risk of injury or death. A speed limit can also help reduce the severity of potential injuries and property damage.
What Are Speeding Ticket Penalties?
A police officer can issue a handwritten or printed citation to a driver. The driver must never ignore it by stuffing the paper into a glove box or throwing it in a trash can. The ticket notes the driver’s details, the charges, and other critical information, including how the driver can remedy the violation.
Laws vary by state, but speeding is considered a reckless driving behavior in most states. Most speeding tickets average a fine of $100-$300. The severity of the infraction dictates the extent of the penalty. A driver might receive a fine and one or more points off their driver’s license. Of course, worse penalties exist, such as jail time and license suspension. Outside of these legal consequences, a driver might learn from their insurer that they’ve lost their safe-driving discount, which can significantly increase their premium costs.
Additionally, states share ticket details as part of a legal agreement between states called the Driver License Compact. A driver who receives an out-of-state speeding ticket might also face one or more additional penalties in their home state. That said, some states only penalize for out-of-state offenses when a driver commits a serious violation.
Common Post-Ticket Remedies
Depending on the state you live in you may have several legal options following a traffic ticket. In most states, drivers pay their fine, contest the charge or charges in a local court, or seek an option that reduces their penalty, such as a defensive driving and safety course. Many drivers choose to simply pay the fine, accept one- or two-point demerits, and move on with their lives. If they take a driving course as well, they might be able to regain a point or prevent an additional insurance penalty.
Fighting the ticket is always an option and worth the effort, but a driver should seek the guidance and knowledge of a legal professional. If they fight the ticket on their own, they risk receiving a worse penalty for seemingly not showing enough remorse for their actions.
An experienced local traffic violation attorney decreases the overall risk in various ways. A lawyer can tell a driver whether the ticket is worth fighting in court, help them navigate the legal system, and potentially gain them extra time to pay the ticket or receive lower penalties by convincing a judge to allow them to take a driving course.