SPEEDING TICKET
Speeding tickets are amazingly deceptive. The courts make it look like all you have to do is pay a small fee ranging from $35 to $100, however, the courts then assess a penalty for each dollar you are fined. In the end, you could end up paying over $490, plus your insurance premiums will go up and you will end up with points on your license that could result in a six-month license suspension. Do not face a speeding ticket alone, contact The Pitman Law Firm for a free consultation.
You Just Got A Speeding Ticket, What Should You Do?
Speeding tickets happen. You may have a perfect driving record and just got pulled over in a speed trap, or you were trying to catch up because you were running late due to an accident on the freeway. This may be your first speeding ticket ever, or you may have a few. Either way, there are some things you may not know that may hurt you.
First thing is, there is a lot of pressure from the cop who pulled you over to the information on the citation itself that encourages you to just pay the ticket. DO NOT DO THIS. Paying the ticket is admitting guilt. If you just pay the ticket, the citation will be added to your record, and points added to your license.
The next thing you should do is write down everything that happened leading up to the stop and what happened with the police officer. A lot of people believe that the pullover so so stressful, they'll never forget it. However, over time memories do fade or you might forget something that happened that was important to your defense.
Next, you should contact an attorney to help you fight the traffic ticket. Having an experienced attorney on your side will help you in court. A lot of people believe they can just handle the ticket on their own. Unfortunately, this puts them at a severe disadvantage. Just as with any court case, there are rules of court and evidence. Unless you know the rules, some evidence may be allowed that will cause you to lose the case, that would not have been allowed if an objection was made. Another advantage to hiring an attorney, you will not need to miss work to go to court. An attorney can make the appearance for you.
When you finally go to court, remember, the police and the judge are not on your side, and they are not trying to help you. The police officer may seem friendly, but from the moment they pulled you over they are collecting evidence to prove their case against you. The judge may also seem friendly, but they are supposed to be an impartial adjudicator and, unfortunately, most of the case is based on the police officer's testimony. This is why it is advantageous to have an attorney on your side who is really fighting for you.
Penalties
Fines and Fees
The most recognized penalty for being found guilty of violating the speed limit is the fines and fees. However, they are deceptive. California breaks down the fines of speeding tickets as:
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1 to 15 mph over the speed limit.................................$35
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16 to 25 mph over the speed limit...............................$70
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25 to 99 mph over the speed limit...............................$100
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Doing over 100 mph.................................................$500 and possible 30 day license suspension along with 2 points on your license - VC22348(b)
Note: These penalties are based on a first-time offense. For each subsequent offense the penalties increase.
What makes these fines deceptive, is if you are found guilty of the violation, fees in the form of court costs and assessments that are assessed for each dollar of these fines. Once the fines are assessed the total fines and fees would total up to:
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1 to 15 mph over the speed limit.................................$238
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16 to 25 mph over the speed limit...............................$367
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25 to 99 mph over the speed limit...............................$490
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Doing over 100 mph..................................................up to $2,500 and possible 30 day license suspension along with 2 points on your license - VC22348(b)
Note: These are based on the penalties listed above at the time this article was written.
Points On Your License
Depending on the facts of your case you could end up with one or two points on your driving record. These points stay active for three years. These points can affect you in a couple of ways.
First, points on your license can lead to a license suspension for six months. Generally, if you get four points in one year, six points in two years, or eight points in three years, your license will be suspended and may actually get revoked.
Second, points on your license lead to increases in your insurance premiums. Each insurance company is different in how they handle points on a driving record, but generally, there is a significant increase in your premium when points are added to your record. This is significant because you are not just paying for the fines and fees listed above, but increased insurance payments for approximately three years.
Getting A Defense Attorney
Getting a defense attorney is critical to protecting your ability to drive and lowering potential fines and fees. The first goal of The Pitman Law Firm is to get any ticket dismissed. However, the unfortunate reality is that is not always possible. If that is the case then The Pitman Law Firm knows how to pick a part an officer's testimony on the stand and work to get your fines reduced and avoid points on your license. Do not face a speeding ticket alone, contact The Pitman Law Firm for a free consultation.