If you’ve received a speeding ticket, you don’t necessarily have to go to court. You can certainly pay the ticket before the court date per the instructions on the ticket. Keep in mind that this means you’re essentially stating that you are guilty of speeding. This ticket will go on your record. If it’s your first ticket, that may not be a big problem for you. If you have too many points, this ticket could be a problem. Here are some things to consider when you’re trying to decide whether to pay the ticket or not.
What Other Options Do You Have?
Before you pay your ticket, look at your options. Depending on your circumstances and situation, you may be able to take a driving school class to get the ticket dismissed. Complete the class and the ticket doesn’t go on your record, nor do you have to pay the ticket fees. Talk to insurance about the class, too. You may get a small discount for taking a traffic school class.
If you think you shouldn’t have gotten the ticket, you can go to court and fight it. You’ll need a good strategy — a defense — that will get the ticket dismissed. For a speeding ticket, you could challenge the reliability of the radar gun that identified your speed. Many officers forget to calibrate the machine, which can throw off the readings. If the speed limit sign was covered up, you could argue that was the problem. You will need to go back and document evidence.
Whatever you do, don’t admit to speeding in court. For example, saying that you weren’t the only one speeding or that you were speeding for a “good” reason isn’t going to cut it. You’ve actually just admitted to the crime you’ve been accused of if you do so. In some courts, if the officer doesn’t show up to testify, your ticket can be dismissed. That’s not a great strategy to rely on, though.
You also should not use the argument that you didn’t know the speed limit changed. Don’t use a sob story. Judges have heard everything about why people shouldn’t have to pay a ticket and will not be so forgiving of your case.
Deal with The Ticket
Whatever else you do, make sure to handle your business. Not paying the ticket is the worst thing you can do. Make a calendar entry that reminds you to send the money into the court before the deadline. Most places let you pay online, but you still have to be timely. If you were charged with something even more serious like a DUI, contact an attorney, like a criminal defense attorney from The Morales Law Firm, today.