Got A Speeding Ticket? These Are Your Options
In the unfortunate situation that you are issued a speeding ticket or traffic citation, there are three options that
are available to you:
Plead "No Contest" or "Guilty" and pay the fine.
This is the easiest option in the short run and therefore the most common choice of drivers who are
issued a traffic citation. Based on traffic citation data, almost 5 million drivers are issued
a traffic citation and approximately 90% of them choose this option.
In the long run, however, this is probably the most expensive choice. A few consequences of this are: A
driving offense stamped on your driving record and increase in auto insurance premiums. Generally, this option
will cost you more than other choices. The good news is, this is not your only choice and
since you are already here this means that you are among the 10% of the people who don't choose this option.
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Plead "Not Guilty" and request a trial.
This is another common choice among
many drivers who feel they have been wrongly issued a ticket. This option requires that you request a trial
to contest your ticket in front of a judge and prove that the officer issuing the ticket made a mistake. This is a
daunting task since officers usually have recorded evidence of your traffic offense and are willing to produce
it if you request a trial. If you are unsuccessful you will end up paying court fees on top of your ticket fines.
If you have a very strong case then you can be successful in getting your ticket dismissed. I must also add that
in rare cases some officers do not show up for the trial and if you're one of the lucky ones, you would get your ticket
dismissed.
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Request to take a Driving Safety Course.
Taking a driving safety course
might seem like a lot of work but in the long run it is the best option. The first step in this process is
to get permission by the court listed on your traffic citation to take a driving safety course.
Find if you are eligible to take a driving safety course.
If you are eligible to take a driving safety course and are approved by your court, the second step is to
find a defensive driving school, register for the course and get the course completion certificate. You should
be able to do this for a low cost of $25. You also need to get a Type 3A driving record that you can get
here. You can also
request the defensive driving school to order your driving record for you. Finally, you need to take
the course completion certificate along with your driving record to your court to get your ticket dismissed.
