Speeding Ticket, Need Advice

[Brendon Bosy]

I need some advice on a speeding ticket I recently received. I live in Boston and was travelling up to Kenne, NH to visit a friend. On the highway, I was going 75 in a 55 mph zone and got pulled over. Usually I drive more cautiously at night since that's when most of the cops are out, but I was being stupid and trying to impress my friends in the car with how well my SC400 handles at highway speeds. The ticket is only $100 and I don't have a problem paying it, but the thing that concerns me more is the increase in my insurance premium. Right now I have a clean driving record and I want to keep it that way. I've had my license for about 2.5 years.

Should I plead not guilty and try and go before a judge/DA in order to negotiate something? I've read online about people who go to court and are able to negotiate to pay more on the ticket to the state/county in order to keep the ticket off their record. I would be willing to do this and even apologize before the judge; I'd just like to keep my record clean. Also, is it recommended I hire a lawyer?

[Step Hen]

If you decide to appear in court, you will have to go back to the township where you received the ticket. Is that far from your home?

You can hire a lawyer to represent you in court if you do decide to plead not guilty. Call up some lawyers in that area and see what they say about trying to pleading the summons to a non-moving violation and paying a higher fee. Most townships only care about the money they get from the ticket since they don't see any revenue from higher insurance costs.

[Brendon Bosy]

I think I might just plead guilty and pay the fine. The ticket occurred well over 80 miles from where I live and its in another state. Unless a lawyer could represent me in absentia (which I'm 99% sure they can't), its probably not worth it. I checked up on Massachusetts' Safe Driver Insurance Policy. Apparently the first non-criminal minor moving violation doesn't count against your points in the first 6 years of having a license, a period which they dub the "experience period". It just sucks because I normally don't speed on the highways. I usually travel 60-65 mph. You'd be surprised how fuel efficient these cars can get. 28-30 MPG on an 11 year old V8!

[Lexusfreak]

I would make sure of this before you decide to pay the fine.....especially for insurance reasons you mentioned. Consider getting a lawyer out of state that specializes in this field to fight the ticket on your behalf (in Ontario we do this and do not have to appear in court.....that's why we hire the lawyer...and to never represent yourself) but I am not sure how the law works in your area (whether you need to appear in court with counsel or not).

I got nailed for speeding a couple of years back in my previous Lexus & the ticket was going to be a 4 pointer! I hired a lawyer, had the trial delayed twice (if the cop does not show up, the case many times will be dismissed). Long story short, I got the ticket reduced to a $45 fine (fron $350!) with no points. Total cost of the lawyer was $200.....more than worth the price considering how much my insurance would have gone up for the next 6 years. B)

[nc211]

I'm not a lawyer, but I firmly believe that when anyone gets into any kind of trouble with the law, the first call you should always make is to a lawyer to weight your options against the penalty of a guilty verdict. I think if you don't at least call a local lawyer in that town for some advice, then you can't complain when your insurance company receives the month dmv report of that county and deem you at a higher risk calculation. Plus, what happens if you get another ticket in a few months, or even in a year or two? If that happens, you're going into that one with one already on your record, and you will have far less of a chance of fighting it. Honestly, I don't know why people don't at least call a lawyer to just chat. They're everywhere man, free consultations, etc... Speeding tickets are the biggest racket in the game. They're negotiated, altered, reduced, etc....but only if you ask. If you don't ask, you'll get 100% of the consequence, and once it's on your record, it's on there for good. It doesn't matter if it's in another state, in terms of your insurance coverage. Some companies don't check state by state records, but some do, and most keep an eye on neighboring states. If I got a ticket in South Carolina, Virginia, Tenn, you can bet USAA would know about it, if I just pled guilty.

My point is this: don't think about this in a "reaction" scenario, but a "proaction" scenario for when "not if" you get the next ticket, for whatever reason "California rolling stop, didn't use your turn signal, following too closely, etc...". You're still in that window of experience where every little thing you do wrong, can cost you a lot of money in increased premiums on your policy. And you've got a good ways to go to get out of it.

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

Two words:

Traffic

School

They have it in many states, if not most. Doesn't your state? Once completed, they expunge the event from your driving record. It usually costs less than the ticket, and it keeps your insurance company from knowing about the event.

[Brendon Bosy]

Massachusetts does have traffic school, but it doesn't remove the ticket/points from your record. I guess I'll at least call a lawyer in NH and see what my options are.

[Lexusfreak]

You've got nothing to lose bud. B)

[Lexus2D]

Iv just been on a Speed Awareness in the UK rather than have points on my licence

But if i get done again in the next 3 year i will get points :(

[jcrome04]

Can you defer your ticket? I know in WA you can pay the ticket plus a small fee, and it will not show on your record unless you get another ticket within 12 months.

Also your insurance shouldn't find out about the ticket until they run an MVR on you. (Motor Vehicle Report I think) Which most normally only do to new customers, or every few years or so. I know I have had many many tickets in my younger days that my insurance has never known about.

But on the other hand... you were speeding, and you did get caught. You should be prepared to pay the conequences for the actions you take.

[SOMEONE ELSE'S GOT MY NAME]

Massachusetts does have traffic school, but it doesn't remove the ticket/points from your record. I guess I'll at least call a lawyer in NH and see what my options are.

Well why in the world would traffic school exist if it wasn't exactly for that purpose?!? Very very odd.

[Brendon Bosy]

I think its for court order on people pulled over for offenses which automatically require you to go before a judge. They include drunk driving, speeding in a construction zone, driving 26+ mph over the limit, or reckless operation. A judge will order you to go to traffic school, but attendance for these offenses don't remove them from your record.

Basically traffic schools in MA can't just be taken by anyone to knock points off their license.