A speeding ticket can set you back a lot of money, and not just from the fine but in auto insurance premium increases as well. What’s more, those insurance increases will last for the entire three years that the speeding ticket conviction will stay on your record.
Most drivers, when they get that first speeding ticket, immediately consider how much the fine will be; actually, the fine will only be about one-fourth of what the total for a speeding ticket is overall.
A 1-15 mph over the limit ticket, if convicted, will cost you about $238, and one negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) point. When your car insurance provider sees the conviction or paid fine at renewal, they will take away you “good driver’s discount” of 20 percent and then add the increased risk factor.
Additionally, the 16 to 24 mph over speeding ticket conviction will cost about $360, and the one negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) point. The 25 mph over ticket is about $490.
Since the average Californian pays $1960 annually for car insurance, losing 20 percent would equal $392 per year. Then, you will get categorized as a higher risk, which could add another 12 to 20 percent depending on the mph over the limit conviction. Let’s just say 12 percent, that’s another $235.20. Your total increase could be $627.20.
Certainly, there are a lot of factors that go into calculating your overall risk and how much your insurance will increase dependent on your circumstances and other risk factors, like age, zip code, how far your drive to work or school, and many others.
Let’s take a look at some of the things you can do while driving to prevent a speeding ticket.
Speeding Ticket Prevention Measures
The best way you can prevent speeding tickets is by using the cruise control function. Using this feature will ensure that you never go over the speed limit. This is particularly beneficial when traveling long distances, when it is easy to become distracted, which can affect your ability to maintain speed consistency.
The CHP and other law enforcement officers have many effective ways to determine your speed, including radar and (lidar) laser guns and pacing. With radar devices, police point a radar gun or mounted device at your car, and radio waves bounce back to the device to determine your speed. Laser guns, however, use a form of laser beam to determine your speed more accurately.
Although these devices are highly accurate, these are not infallible and must be calibrated, and officers must receive thorough periodic training to maintain proficiency. When this does not happen, it could raise a “reasonable doubt” about your speed.
Pacing is another method of determining speed. The LEO must follow the vehicle they suspect of speeding for a specific distance and match the speed of their vehicle to that of the “speeder.”
Another method often used by seasoned traffic cops is estimation. That’s right, they guess. What’s more, many traffic court judges will allow a guess, particularly if the defendant is not represented by a traffic attorney who can logically dispute the accuracy of the guess. The LEO’s guess is extremely accurate if no one challenges it!
If this happens to you and you need help fighting your speeding ticket, contact a traffic attorney who can help resolve the ticket. Traffic attorneys are often able to get a dismissal or reduced no-point conviction.
Why You Need a Traffic Ticket Attorney to Handle a Speeding Ticket
Financially, representing yourself can be costly if you do not have a background in traffic law. Most often, even lawyers from other law areas hire a traffic attorney to represent them in traffic court.
What’s more, an attorney can appear for you so that you can go to work or school as if nothing happened. Your best bet is to hire a traffic attorney, then provide them with the details of your citation and let them resolve it.
Contact a Speeding Ticket Attorney Who Can Handle It for You in Fresno Traffic Court
Whether you received a speeding ticket on I-5 or Highway 99, call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
We can handle your speeding ticket in Fresno County Traffic Court. We practice only traffic law using a fixed rate so that you always know how much it will cost to resolve your ticket. Regardless of how many court appearances it takes, we will never charge you more than our agreed-upon amount.
Email: attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
References:
The 2020 CA Driver Handbook .pdf