Mitigation is where you admit to the ticket and explain the circumstance under which you were committing the violation. Sometimes explaining the circumstances can lead the judge to have leniency with you. Potential outcomes in mitigation can include:.
Seeking mitigation does not always mean an automatic reduction. In some cases, the court will reject the arguments and explanations, forcing you to pay the full cost and receive points. However, you have nothing to lose by trying. Remember that when seeking mitigation, you cannot go back later and appeal it because you are admitting that you committed the violation.
A defensive driving course can be a huge help to many drivers — it can help dismiss a ticket, fulfill a court order, and even reduce points on your driving record. Our defensive driving courses come in different formats, so check your state's requirements and choose the one right for you. We hope that this information helps you explore the different choices you have when dealing with a speeding ticket. Take a look at the options we have listed above and decide on the course of action that will work the best for you.
Ask which method the officer used to determine you were speeding and write it down afterward. Say as little as possible. Anything you say can be used against you if you go to court. Afterward, write down everything about the incident, including the time of day, location and anything that might have affected the circumstances, such as obscured or missing speed limit signs.
You can then choose to fight the ticket in court, negotiate a lesser penalty or pay the speeding ticket and accept the ding to your driving record and the higher insurance premiums likely to result. Besides paying the initial fee, after a ticket, your car insurance rates can rise by hundreds of dollars per year.
Even if you think the ticket is unjustified, speeding violations are hard to beat. If you ask for a hearing, plan to make your case and be questioned before a judge. Check the ticket to find out whether a state, county or local officer issued it and search online for traffic procedures in that jurisdiction.
Delay the hearing. This will give you more time to build your case. Gather evidence. Evidence could include dashcam video or GPS data from a smartphone app, or photographic evidence that a speed limit sign was obscured. Research speed equipment.
Look up the method the officer used to clock your speed, note its weaknesses and prepare to present them. Instruction manuals include maintenance schedules you can question the officer about, and they may note radar gun weaknesses, for example.
Make witness arrangements. You can call in witnesses, including any passengers in the car when the ticket was issued. These distractions can lead to you losing focus and staying within the posted speed limit. Often the speed limit can change on different stretches of the same road.
Stay alert, take note of the posted limits and adjust your speed accordingly. Know your own limits. Find another driver or other means of transportation, or just wait it out. This should go without saying, but it can be easy to slip into a state of mental autopilot and pick up speed without noticing. The best way to prevent speeding tickets is to practice safe driving. Did you know that you can get car insurance discounts for safe driving?
Find out more about the safe driver discount from Nationwide. Does a Speeding Ticket Affect Insurance. Understand the implications Actions have consequences, especially on the road. Your driving record: Depending on the severity of the infraction, local statutes, and your previous record, a speeding ticket may result in points on your license or even suspension of your license.
Violations that are significantly over the speed limit are more likely to have these effects.
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