It’s a fairly safe assumption that most traffic ticket stories from
Barstow and Apple Valley don’t have anywhere near this happy of
an ending.
83-year-old Beatrice Carr, who passed away in June, met her future husband when she was pulled over on a California freeway. Richard Carr, who is now a senior judge in Washington County, Utah, was the CHP officer who gave Beatrice a speeding ticket. He paid for the citation himself, and often told friends that it was the best ticket he ever wrote. The couple married on April Fools Day, 1960, in Upland, California. Shortly before her death, they celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.
The late Ms. Carr was an active member of her church and an avid genealogist who published a two-volume book about her ancestors.
100+mph Ticket
Today, a speeding ticket in California, especially an enhanced 22348(b) violation, practically costs the equivalent of a year’s salary in 1960. Considering the fine, penalty assessments, and other add-ons, the direct costs alone approach $1,000.
But that’s just the beginning. Drivers with a super speeder ticket on their records may see their car insurance rates jump nearly as much as if they had received a DUI, because insurance companies view them both as being serious violations. The higher insurance rates typically stay in place for much longer than a usual ticket (3 years), because 22348(b) can stay on your record for ten years.
Finally, there’s direct and indirect license suspension. The judge will take your license for up to 30 days after a first violation, and the infraction also counts two points on your driving record.
An attorney can help you avoid some or all of these consequences, by getting the charges reduced or perhaps even getting the ticket thrown out of court.