The Garden State may be the worst state to get a speeding ticket, but our own Golden State is not too far in the rear view mirror.

In a recent survey, California ranked fifth behind four Northeastern and Atlantic Coast states. New Jersey got the coveted, ahem, top spot, partially because it has a speed trap every 30 miles. There's also a state law that doubles the fine for racing on public highways with a speed limit over 65 mph. New Jersey defines "racing" as driving at 10 mph over the speed limit, so almost all speeders have their fines doubled by state law.

The other worst states were Massachusetts, New York and Virginia. The five best places to get a ticket were mostly Western states: Colorado, Tennessee, Idaho, Montana and North Dakota.

Rate hikes put California on the list. Over time, your insurance rates may be 20 times more expensive than the ticket itself once you have a speeding conviction on your record. And, although most drivers in Tulare County are eligible for traffic school, a sizeable portion are not.

You never want to be "penny wise and pound foolish" by clinging to a few dollars in the short run only to have the long term costs greatly outweigh any savings. An attorney practicing in Porterville or Visalia can save you time by, in many cases, appearing for you in traffic court. By getting the points reduced, or maybe even finding a technicality that can get the case thrown out, a lawyer also saves you money.