It’s a nightmare for everyone. The blue flashing lights in your rearview mirror and an officer asking you to pull over because you were speeding.
A speeding ticket has far more effects than just fines and the suspension of your driving license. Violation of speed limits can also hike your insurance premiums over a long time. This is why it is important to fight a speeding ticket instead of just paying the fines.
If you recently got a citation, hiring a speeding ticket lawyer increases the chances of your case being dismissed. Sometimes, even a ticket that you think is unjustified can become an uphill battle. Other circumstances such as being in an accident resulting from speeding or facing license suspension will do well with the support of an attorney.
Let’s see how you can successfully fight a speeding ticket right from when a police officer pulls you over.
Do Not Admit Guilt
When the officer pulls you over, look for a safe spot to stop, and turn on your hazard lights. They are also likely to ask you several questions as they request to see your driving license. At this point, say as little as possible to avoid incriminating yourself. The officer can use anything you say at the scene as an admission of guilt during the trial.
However, tell the truth only and remain polite when answering any questions that you have to address.
Take Notes Before Leaving the Scene
Collecting your set of evidence can help you challenge an officer’s opinion. For instance, if you were speeding because the sign was not visible, you can take photographs to prove the same in court.
Note other things such as the weather and the method that the officer used to determine that you were speeding. These will come in handy when arguing for your case in front of a judge.
Do You Have a Legitimate Reason for Speeding?
Sometimes, your speeding might be justified or occurred as a mistake of fact. If this is the case, you can fight the speeding ticket by showing the evidence that you were not acting from a point of negligence.
For instance, if you were driving a little over the allowed speed to get away from a reckless driver, your burden of proof is to show that your actions were justified. You can further support this argument with pictures showing skid marks of the reckless driver.
A mistake of fact might also have occurred where you were acting from a point of misunderstanding a fact. The judge can also be lenient on legitimate reasons such as attending to a medical emergency.
If you or your attorney can prove this to a prosecutor, the citation will not appear on your record nor affect insurance premiums.
Attend Driving School
The main reason you should fight a speeding ticket is to avoid all the repercussions that come with a citation. Nevertheless, if you find yourself out of options, you can opt to avoid some consequences while bearing others.
If you choose to attend a defensive driving class, you will have a timeline within which you must complete the training for it to hold. Attending a driving school might not erase the violation on your records, but your traffic points and insurance premiums will remain intact.
Request a Deferral Period
In some cases, especially for first-time offenders, the judge might be willing to offer a deferral.
Here, you pay the stipulated fines and receive a deferral period within which, if no other violation occurs, the speeding ticket is dismissed altogether. This means that the violation does not appear on your records, nor do they impact your insurance premiums.
We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.
