Researchers believe that strict speeding enforcement in Visalia and Porterville is counter-productive to roadway safety.

Drivers in simulators who believed that officers would ticket them for going 1mph above the speed limit took longer to identify roadway hazards and also reported that driving was more stressful and more demanding. “We concluded that drivers’ mental and visual resources were being used up by paying extra attention to the speed monitoring task, and this was taking some of their attention away from the visual world around them when they were driving,” said lead researcher Dr. Vanessa Bowden. In other words, researchers believe that operators are so busy looking for police officers that they are taking their minds off driving, and that is a form of distracted driving.

Roadway deaths increased more in 2015 than at any time in the last fifty years, largely because of distracted driving.

Types of Speeding Tickets in California

Traditionally, CHP officers write more speeding tickets than anything else, because these citations are easy to prove in court, especially if the officer used radar or lidar, and at least arguably help control one of the biggest hazards to drivers.

VC 22349 is the standard speed law in California, and most all speeding tickets fall under this provision. Depending on the kind of roadway and the vehicle’s velocity, the total bail fee (fine plus penalty assessments) is $229, $352, or $469. Eligible drivers can take traffic school to avoid the one point (one-and-a-half points for commercial operators), and most drivers will see their insurance rates increase significantly for each of the next three years. There are some special speeding tickets as well:

· Too Fast for Conditions: VC 22350 lets officers write tickets if they feel the drivers are travelling too fast for conditions, which means that regardless of the posted speed limit, the most important factor is whether the speed was too fast for the conditions.

· Construction Zones: Traffic fines double if the infractions occurred in active work zones with proper signage.

· School Zones: Similarly, children must be present and near the speeding vehicle for the special law to apply.

Starring in 2017, with a tougher distracted driving law and the grim distracted driving statistics, officers may start writing more cell phone tickets.

Getting Legal Help

The aggressive attorneys at Bigger & Harman, APC, are committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets. Call today at 661-349-9300 or email attorney@markbigger.com to receive the personal professional attention you deserve. En español, llame al 661-349-9755.