Speeding tickets are common among new and experienced drivers, and it’s the most common ticket authorities issue. If you’re caught speeding, there are things you need to know. Let’s jump into what happens when you’re caught speeding and what you should do.
What Happens If I’m Caught Speeding?
There are two ways you can be caught speeding – by police or a traffic camera. If a police officer pulls you over for speeding, he/she will likely issue a ticket, also known as a citation. If you are issued a speeding ticket, you will receive the ticket at the time you’re pulled over, and receive other information regarding the citation process, such as court dates and possible fines. However, some officers will let you go with a verbal warning.
If you are caught speeding by a traffic camera, laws specific to the jurisdiction where you were caught will apply. Depending on the situation, you may be required to pay penalty fees. Depending on where you were when you were caught speeding, such as in a construction or school zone, the fees will be higher.
What Should I Do If I’m Caught Speeding?
If you’re caught speeding, the first thing you need to do is relax. Your anxiety may be through the roof at this time but remain calm. Here are a few tips that can help if you find yourself in this situation.
Appeal the Ticket
You can appeal the officer’s decision if you believe you weren’t speeding. Approximately 28% of drivers who receive a speeding ticket choose to appeal the officer’s decision. Surprisingly, most drivers who appealed the ticket were successful.
Pay the Ticket
Generally speaking, you can expect to pay at least $150 for a speeding ticket. Be advised that depending on the speeding violation, you could be facing a penalty of $2,500 or more. The cost of your speeding ticket is determined by how much you exceeded the spending limit, the location where you received the ticket, and other factors. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of appearing in court, you can pay the fine and continue on with your day.
Complete a Driver Improvement Course
After you plead guilty, you can apply to complete a local traffic school course or complete a defensive driving course to learn the skills required to avoid getting in the same predicament in the future.
Once you enroll in and complete a traffic school or defensive driving course, you will likely be able to decrease your cost of auto insurance and possibly have your speeding ticket dismissed.
How Much Will I Pay for Lawyer Fees?
In most speeding ticket scenarios, drivers often represent themselves. However, depending on the circumstances in which your ticket was issued, it may be best if you hire a layer. Let’s break down possible lawyer fees you’ll be responsible for paying if you hire a lawyer to represent you in court.
- Exceeds $700 – 35% fee
- Between $500 and $699 – 11% fee
- Between $300 and $499 – 23% fee
- Between $100 and $299 – 35% fee
- Below $100 – 27% fee
What Excuses Do Drivers Use to Get Out of a Speeding Ticket?
You may be surprised at some of the excuses drivers give officers or judges to get out of being cited for speeding or to get out of a speeding ticket. Some of the most common excuses drivers use to get out of receiving a speeding ticket include the following:
- I’m late for work
- I didn’t realize I was speeding
- I had a family emergency
- Everyone else was speeding too
- I have to use the bathroom
- I’m late for a job interview
- I’m late picking my kid up from school
- I didn’t see a speed limit
- I’m late for my dinner reservations
- I’m late for a funeral
How Often Are Drivers Pulled Over for Speeding?
Approximately 20 million drivers are pulled over each year. Half of these motorists state they’ve never been pulled over for speeding in the last 10 years, while a third of these motorists say they haven’t been pulled over in the last year. In the last decade, 55% of motorists state they’ve only been pulled over once. 34% of drivers state they’ve been pulled over at least twice.
What Are the Dangers of Speeding?
For the last 20 years, speeding has been the cause of approximately one-third of motor vehicle fatalities. Speeding can also have fatal results when you’re driving the speed limit, but too fast for the current road conditions, such as heavy rain, snow, ice, and other inclement weather. Speeding endangers the driver of the vehicle and other drivers on the road. Speeding can result in minor and serious injuries and sometimes have fatal results.
What Are the Consequences of Speeding?
When you think of speeding, you may think of an officer pulling you over and giving you a ticket and having to go to court to pay different fines. However, other events can take place because you or another driver is speeding, including the following:
- Greater risk of losing control of the vehicle
- Less effective occupant protection (seatbelts, airbags, etc.)
- Severe or fatal injuries
- Increased fuel consumption
Why Do Motorists Speed?
Good question! Speeding is a choice. Even if you’re driving on the highway, you don’t have to speed. Depending on the location, the maximum speed limit is 70mph. While 70mph is more than fast enough to get you where you’re going in a reasonable amount of time, some drivers still exceed this speed limit.
Some drivers choose to speed because they lack patience, especially if they’re running late. Other drivers may speed because they aren’t paying attention to the posted speed limits, especially if they’re traveling on the highway.
Some drivers exceed the speed limit because they feel they’re above the law or that they can talk their way out of a ticket, while other drivers don’t care about their safety and the safety of others on the road, especially if they’re intoxicated.
How to Deal with Drivers Who Are Speeding
Speeding is a type of aggressive driving behavior that can have serious or fatal results, and it affects everyone on the road, even if they’re not operating a motor vehicle. If you encounter a driver who is speeding, you can do the following:
- If you’re traveling in the left lane, and someone is speeding behind you or tailgating you, move to the middle or right lane to allow them to pass.
- Drivers who are speeding require more time to bring their vehicle to a stop, so make sure you give them plenty of space.
- Since speeding is considered an aggressive driving behavior, make sure you adjust your driving accordingly by avoiding engaging in risky driving behavior.
- If you are being followed by an aggressive driver, call the police and try to give them your most accurate location. If you are on the highway, use the mile markers to help with determining your location.
What Impact Does Speeding Have on Auto Insurance Rates?
Having one ticket for speeding makes you a liability in the eyes of auto insurance carriers, so having three or more speeding tickets on your driving record means having an extremely high auto insurance premium, assuming that you will be able to get auto coverage.
However, if you have one or two speeding tickets, you may be able to take defensive driving courses to reduce your insurance rates. If you are found guilty of speeding, your auto insurance premiums can increase by 19% or more.
Some auto insurance carriers are more flexible than others, meaning they will look at the details of the speeding ticket and consider this information before providing a quote. If you were traveling 1 to 5 miles over the speed limit, and it’s your first traffic violation, your auto insurance rates may not increase by much. However, if you were ticketed for traveling 10 to 15 miles over the speed limit, you will likely notice a drastic increase in your auto insurance premiums.
Essentially, if you continue to receive speeding tickets, your driver’s license could be suspended or revoked, and it will be difficult to obtain auto insurance because auto carriers will view you as a risky driver, which means you’re more likely to be involved in an auto accident.
The good news is you don’t have to be speed. If you’re following traffic laws and signs, you shouldn’t get pulled over for speeding. If you’re worried about being late, leave at least 10 minutes early. Speeding isn’t worth the safety risks or astronomically high auto insurance premiums. Stay safe and happy driving!