Personal Injury Lawyer
It’s not a great feeling when you see those red and blue flashing lights, signaling you to pull over. If you are convicted of a traffic violation, this can:
- Cost you money upfront since you’ll have to pay the ticket
- Cost you money long term since your car insurance rates might raise
- Affect your license and driving record
It may be possible to reduce the impact of a speeding ticket or even erase it, but it may be difficult to do so. Here is some information about your options.
Paying the Traffic Ticket
Paying the traffic ticket may seem easier than fighting it. However, consider the actual cost of a ticket. Not only do you have to pay the initial fee, but your car insurance rates can raise hundreds of dollars per year.
If you end up accepting the speeding ticket, you may want to compare car insurance quotes. Some insurance companies may raise your insurance rates more than others.
Fighting the Traffic Ticket
If you plan on fighting the ticket, you will have to go to court. Even if you receive the ticket in another county or state you will have to go back to court to fight it. At court, a prosecutor will need to prove you are speeding.
You may be off the hook if the officer doesn’t show up at the hearing, but don’t count on that. If you plan on fighting the ticket and asking for a hearing, be prepared to plan your case and be questioned. It’s a good idea to check the ticket to determine if it was a local, county, or state officer that issued it. With that information, you can search for traffic procedures in that jurisdiction. Carefully read which law you are accused of breaking and be prepared to argue that you didn’t.
While you are preparing for court, you may:
- Gather evidence to support your claims that you weren’t speeding or breaking the law. Such evidence could include GPS data or a dashcam video.
- Plan out your questions. You may question the officer who issued the ticket, so be sure to use that to your advantage.
- Call in witnesses. This is handy when someone else was in the car when the ticket was issued.
If you are unable to go back to the county where the ticket was issued, it may be in your best interest to hire a lawyer to help you. They can appear on your behalf to help you fight the ticket. If you are facing more serious charges from getting pulled over, like a DUI, contact an attorney, like a criminal defense attorney from The Morales Law Firm, right away.