The Golden State is ranked number four in terms of states that give the most speeding citations. The top five, in order, are Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, California and Texas.

An estimated 41 million people, or roughly 21% of drivers, will receive a speeding ticket this year. The average officer writes $300,000 in speeding tickets per year, adding up to a staggering $6.2 billion. About 95% of defendants waive their right to a hearing and plead guilty based solely on the state's evidence.

Nationwide, the average speeding ticket is $152; in California, the average price tag is about $300.

That is the question. The 95% figure is roughly in line with the rate in most other types of criminal cases. Plea bargaining has been common in most courts for about the last hundred years. In one of the earliest recorded cases, an Alameda County man plead guilty to misdemeanor embezzlement to avoid prosecution for a felony. He allegedly stole $52 from his employer, a sewing machine company. Today, the big difference is whether you represent yourself or have an experienced attorney in Kern County on your side.

Representing yourself, even if you do some preliminary research, is like reading a few Internet articles on Web MD and then trying to remove your own kidney.

An attorney can evaluate the evidence against you, and all the other circumstances surrounding the case, and offer a fair assessment of your chances at trial on your traffic ticket. Your attorney in Fresno can then often negotiate from a position of strength to reduce the fine and/or the points. With all the costs involved, including the increased insurance premiums and all the secondary costs, hiring a lawyer is often the right move.