When it comes to speeding tickets many people simply think that this is an unavoidable fact of life and they do not really worry about it until it is way too late. As such many people continue to get speeding tickets even though they know that there are good consequences to getting caught speeding. In fact, in many states in the US there are huge penalties for speeding and you may even be given a suspended license if you receive a speeding ticket while driving. So what are your options when it comes to speeding tickets?
The first option is to simply refuse to go to court and pay the fine. Some courts are so strapped for cash that they will not allow you to go to court in order to fight your case. As such, if you are unable to come to an agreement with the court, you should consider paying your fine in full in order to avoid the possibility of having your license taken away. There are often times when speeding fines can be suspended as well so you may want to consider paying in order to avoid this punishment.
Your next option is to work with a traffic school instructor to make sure that you are properly educated on how speeding works so that you can drive safely. There are three types of traffic school available to you: operator education classes, advanced defensive driving courses, and defensive driving beginner classes. You can attend these classes at a low cost or pay a higher fee so that you can benefit more from the experience. In addition, some districts offer discounts for multiple courses so you may be able to save money overall if you take several of these options. If you choose to attend a traffic school, you may also qualify for future discounts based upon your current record.
The third option, which is most often used by people who received a speeding violation is to enter a plea of “no contest.” Some people mistakenly believe that this type of situation is one where they will not be required to pay any additional penalties. However, if the judge decides that you are guilty of speeding, he may require you to pay a fine, attend traffic school, perform community service, perform alcohol education, or take anger management classes. All of these penalties will still apply even if you enter a “no contest” plea because the charges against you will still stand.
Your last option is to simply decide to face the penalties that you received. You should remember that even if the judge decides that you are guilty of speeding, it does not mean that you have to serve any of your penalties in jail time. Many people are unaware that the penalties for this offense are limited to serving a fine only. Some districts also have the option of adding points to your driving record for traffic violations which results in increased points. Although it may be tempting to avoid serving any of your penalties, this will only make your driving record worse and will lead to more serious consequences down the line.
In summary, penalties for exceeding speed limits are usually assessed either by issuing a fine or by adding points to your driving license. If your first citation is less than ten years old, the penalties associated with this violation will usually be a warning or caution, while tickets from subsequent violations will result in additional points being assessed. While it may be tempting to avoid serving any of your fines and points by driving away in your vehicle, this will not help your case in any way. You should instead be prepared to face your penalties by accepting them and working to get your driving license back.