Speeding Ticket - Consequences of Getting One

Millions of Americans will receive a speeding ticket or two every year. They can be very annoying and a very big waste of time and money. While it is highly unlikely that you will go to jail for a traffic citation, there are still some very serious and expensive consequences associated with getting one of these tickets. So, in turn, do the speed limit and avoid getting a ticket at all costs. 

The first consequence of a speeding ticket is what most people will think of first, the fine of the ticket itself. Where you got the ticket, how much over the limit you were traveling, and other factors will determine the fine of the ticket. Sometimes by going to court and trying to fight the ticket, you can get a lesser fine than what you were originally charged with. Fines of speeding tickets can be as much as several hundred dollars. You do not only have to pay the actual fine but often times you have to pay court costs and administrative costs, which can really make the price outrageous. Some courts will set up a payment plan for you to pay for the fine over a period of time. Fines are very serious and are not taken lightly by the court. If you do not pay your fine and do not show up to court, a lot of times, a warrant will be put out for your arrest. 

Another one of the consequences of a speeding ticket is the increase in your vehicle insurance premiums. Whenever you get a speeding ticket, insurance companies as going to look at this negatively. Depending on your previous driving history, the speed you were going over the limit and your age, your can have some serious hikes in premium prices. In a situation like this, you will want to try to fight the ticket at all costs. If you have a pretty clean record, sometimes you can get off just paying a court cost and having the ticket removed from your record so that it does not affect you insurance. Some insurance companies, however, will offer a forgiveness program where you can get one ticket and not have an increase in your insurance rates. Check with your company to see what their policy is. 

A very serious consequence of a speeding ticket is a possible license suspension. In some states, with multiple traffic citations you can lose all of your driving privileges and have your license revoked. Obviously, this does not happen very often, but it is possible. Also, if you are going a large amount over the speed limit, you can also get your license taken away for that alone, regardless if you have had any other infractions or not. 

As you can see, speeding tickets can really just be a huge headache and the only way to really avoid these problems is to travel the speed limit and obey all traffic laws. However, when that's not possible, you may want to look into a traffic lawyer for your case.