The reality is that if you drive long enough, there’s a good chance that at some point in your life, you’ll receive a speeding ticket. In fact, roughly one in five adults gets a speeding ticket every year. And while some lead foot drivers bring those numbers up for the rest of the population, it only takes a momentary lapse in judgment to end up going faster than you’re legally allowed to go. If a cop sees you at this moment, you may end up receiving a speeding ticket.
What you do in the immediate aftermath of earning a speeding ticket will set the stage for how the situation plays out. Here are three things you should be doing right after you receive a speeding ticket if you want to avoid a worst case scenario.
Do These Things After A Speeding Ticket
There’s no guarantee that following these three steps will result in the judge dismissing your ticket, but by following through with these actions, you’ll be improving your odds of a favorable outcome.
1. Slow Down – Don’t keep speeding because now you’re running a little late. The last thing you want to do is earn another costly speeding ticket. Slow down for the rest of the trip and in the weeks that follow. If you earn another speeding ticket before your first case is closed, it’s going to be very difficult to get the judge to grant you some leniency. If you continue to drive poorly, it will suggest to the court that you have not yet learned your lesson, and there’s no reason for the judge to go easy on your during your first case. We know it can be frustrating to receive a speeding ticket, but don’t let the problems compound by continuing to speed.
2. Read The Ticket – Once you get home, make sure that you read the ticket thoroughly and carefully. Understand what you are being charged with, when your court date is and whether or not an appearance is mandatory. Also make sure that you comprehend what is at stake if you simply pay the fine. There’s a chance that a speeding ticket has greater ramifications for your driver’s license or your car insurance rates, so don’t just assume it will all go away if you just pay the ticket. Carefully read the entire ticket, soak in the information and figure out your next steps, which usually involve moving on to point number three.
3. Consult With An Attorney – We’ll be the first to admit that there are plenty of times where it doesn’t make fiscal sense to hire a lawyer to fight a rather cheap speeding ticket or low-level traffic charge. You don’t want to spend more on legal fees than you would the original ticket, and quite frankly, many criminal defense lawyers would rather be taking on larger cases. That’s not to say a run-of-the-mill speeding ticket doesn’t matter, but you likely wouldn’t hire a tutor if you had to take a 5th grade math class, and you may not need a lawyer for your low-level speeding ticket. We’ll gladly sit down with you, analyze your situation and determine the best route forward for both parties, but we’ll be honest if we think your best chance is self-representation in court.
Conversely, if there’s more to the story with your speeding ticket, we’d be happy to come aboard and fight tooth and nail for your rights. If you stand to face other driving ramifications, you could end up losing your job or there was other fallout from the original traffic stop, let us sort out the details and ensure you avoid a worst case scenario. We can contest different aspects of the traffic stop and even negotiate with the prosecution to see the ticket reduced or dropped in a favorable plea deal. Let us help you navigate this tricky situation.
If you do these three things, you’ll be in a better spot following your speeding ticket. To sync up with a lawyer and discuss your best path forward after a speeding ticket, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
