Always Keep a Cool Head

Whether you are dealing with a police officer, or having your day in court is important that you stay calm, and address the authorities with respect. Whining, pleading, or fabricating a story will not help you, and could even result in a stricter punishment.

Get the Facts

When you receive a ticket it’s important that you record as much information as possible. If you are able to take pictures at the time (after the officer has left) this could help. At least document where you were at the time of the incident, the direction you were traveling, where the officer was stationed, and the nearest speed sign. If you are able you may want to inquire as to how the police officer determined your speed, and once you head home consider drawing a diagram.

Examine the Guidelines

Find out exactly how to contest your ticket by closely reading the procedure on the back of the ticket. Once you file your claim, ensure you get the name of anyone who contacts you, and be friendly. Often the clerks have the most influence over which judge you will see, and they know which ones are more lenient.

Request a Few Delays

If the ticketing officer is unable to attend the hearing, or cannot recall details of your case then chances are that you will beat your speeding ticket. The best way to ensure this happens is to request a few delays. This is why it’s important to be friendly to the clerk, as they will be more likely to give you a continuance without too much trouble.

Avoid Points with an Alternative

The most important concern you have when you fight your speeding ticket is to avoid getting points, as these will affect your insurance rates and your driving record. If you feel like the hearing isn’t going well, then you may want to request an alternative punishment – such as paying the fine plus driving school.

Know When to Accept the Facts

You won’t always win when fighting a speeding ticket – so know when to back down and accept your fate. Arguing with the court won’t help your case, and will only ensure that the judge remembers you negatively if you end up in the same court again.

Know Your Rights

As a citizen of this country you are entitled to your rights, and one of those is the right to prove your innocence. By fully understanding what you are entitled to, you can make sure that you have done everything within your power to fight your speeding tickets. If you are assured of your innocence then you also have the right to file an appeal.

Before fighting your speeding ticket it’s important to learn all there is to know about it. Don’t just arrive confident; being prepared is key to your success. Remember the initial cost of the speeding ticket isn’t the only thing at stake: you can lose or earn points depending on where you’re from, your insurance premiums can increase, getting insured in the first place may be difficult, and it can go as far as your license getting suspended.

Dealing with a Police Officer

We all hear stories of people who get out of speeding tickets with various tricks, stories, or tears. Most of the time this will not work, and you are probably better off by being polite, honest and respectful. However, one thing you should not do is admit you were speeding – as this will likely kill any chance you have of fighting your speeding ticket successfully.

Gathering Information

By examining each aspect of your situation you may be able to find a loophole to beat your ticket. It is usually a good idea to carry a phone or camera phone with you for this purpose (or in case of an accident). You can also politely ask the ticketing officer any questions they may have, such as where they were located and what type of equipment they used to document your speed. When you get home draw a quick diagram of where each car was located, as well as any signs or obstructions so it remains fresh in your mind.

Reading the Fine Print

You chances of fighting your traffic ticket successfully depends on your understanding of the system. Make sure you read the back of your ticket very closely; as this will contain most of the information you need on disputing your ticket. When you do contact the court make sure you are courteous to the staff, and record dates, times, and contact names of everyone you talk to.

Increasing your Success Rate

The best way to beat your speeding ticket is to increase the chances of the ticketing officer not attending your court date, or not remembering your case. The most effective way to do this is to delay your hearing. Try to politely request a delay from the court clerk, and ensure you use a plausible excuse.

Suggesting Alternative Punishment

While it would be nice to avoid paying your speeding ticket, this is not your primary goal. If you can avoid receiving points on your record then you are succeeding in keeping your insurance costs down, so come to court armed with an alternative punishment if it appears that you are not going to beat your ticket. Most judges are open to suggestions, such as community service or driving school in lieu of points.

Accepting Consequences

On occasion you may not be able to fight your speeding ticket, or negotiate it down to a lesser charge. In these cases it is important that you keep your cool. While it may be tempting to fabricate a story or argue the judgment, this is usually not a good way to go and will not help your case. Keep in mind that if you end up with the same judge in the future you want them not to remember you as combative.

Financial Loss

After you pay your speeding ticket, everything’s done right? Actually, the financial loss doesn’t stop there. Just wait until it’s time to renew your car insurance. Because you’ve had a speeding ticket your insurance company is going to assume that you are a high-risk driver, and for that you are going to be rewarded with higher insurance rates – which can add up to thousands of dollars and be a financial burden for several years.

In fact, if you happen to have an excess of speeding tickets, you may find that your insurance company chooses not to insure you at all. If you are lucky you may be able to find another car insurance company to cover you – but it could cost you double or triple your current rate. Depending on how much you need your vehicle this could cost you your job, and severely impact your budget.

Additionally, depending on how fast you were driving, and any previous moving violations you may have you will likely accumulate some points on your driving record. Unless you keep you record perfectly clean for several years you will likely find that you’ll have to pay for your points somewhere along the line.
In any and all of these cases it could potentially save you hundreds or thousands of dollars if you beat your speeding ticket, and save you a ton of headaches in the long run.

Other Considerations

There are several other reasons why you may want to consider fighting your speeding ticket. If you are an underage driver your parents could be affected financially by you receiving a ticket, as you are likely under their insurance. It could also make it extremely difficult for you to get your own insurance coverage when the time comes.

If you plan on taking any type of job in the future that involves driving, having a speeding ticket on your record could possibly prevent you from getting a job. In most cases companies will only hire people with clean driving abstracts – so having a record free of moving violations is essential.

With all the reasons to fight a speeding ticket, it’s surprising that so many people still choose to ‘just pay it’, and find out about all the consequences later. Beating a speeding ticket isn’t as difficult as it seems, all you need is a little insider knowledge and some time to maintain your pristine driving record.

Don’t Argue with the Ticketing Officer

You’d be surprised how far a little courtesy can take you. By co-operating fully with the officer who pulls you over you may get off with just a warning, or a reduced fine. Additionally, you don’t want to draw attention to yourself, as any rudeness or disagreement may be noted on your ticket and will likely not do you any favors when you take your ticket to court.

Be Truthful, but Don’t Admit Guilt

If you admit that you knew you were speeding, then you’ve killed any chance you have of beating your speeding ticket. In the same vein you don’t want to make up any excuses for why you were speeding, or why you should receive a ticket.

Ask Questions, Carefully

You need information in order to fight your speeding ticket, and you need to get this information from the ticketing officer. However, there are some camps who advise not asking questions, as the officer will make notes as he answers, which he will refer to in court. Most often, if the officer doesn’t have many notes he may choose to not appear in court – so you have a better chance at having you ticket dismissed. You can choose the path to take – less questions, or more, so you have the information you need to beat your ticket.

Check Your Ticket

Inaccuracies in your ticket can have two consequences – they can help you get the ticket dismissed if the officer mistakenly records your license plate or location, but on the other hand if they reflect poorly on you (like including that you ran a stop sign or not signalling) then they can result is a lesser chance of escaping your speeding ticket. If the mistake on your ticket is not in your favor then ask the officer politely to correct it.

Record the Details

After you’ve received your traffic ticket, while the details are still fresh in your mind you may want to jot down a few notes. If you have a camera or camera phone you may want to also take some pictures of the scene, including where the officer was stationed and speed limit signs if they are obstructed. Making a diagram can also assist your defense.

Calculate the Cost

Before you decide to go ahead with fighting your speeding ticket, decide on whether it’s worth it. How much will your defense cost (if you hire a lawyer), and what could it cost you if you lose? Compare that against the cost of the ticket, as well as paying for points and insurance increases.

Consider Hiring a Lawyer

Some cases may go easier if you have representation, and in certain areas you may have to have one. However, you can save yourself some cash by representing yourself.

Find Information on the Process

The more you know about fighting speeding tickets, the better chance you will have at winning. Find local resources, and take notes. When you go to trial remember to keep a cool head and that you are entitled to your day in court. Good luck!

Reason One: Save Cash

With speeding tickets costing $100 or more, by successfully fighting your speeding ticket you can save some serious cash. What’s more, depending on how many points you could receive, by avoiding a ticket you could avoid paying more in the future (see below for details).

Reason Two: Avoid Significant Insurance Increases

Depending on your insurance company, just one speeding ticket could have a large impact on your future auto insurance premiums. This is because to an insurance company a speeding ticket is a sign that you are at a higher risk of causing an accident. This is probably the most significant reason to fight your speeding tickets.

Reason Three: Avoid an Insurance Cancellation

If you accumulate too many speeding tickets you may find that your insurance company won’t cover you at all. It could cost you thousands of dollars to clean up your record, or you may have to pay two to three times as much for another company to insure your vehicle. Perhaps it would be a better idea to beat a speeding ticket instead of paying through the nose for your insurance.

Reason Four: Maintain a Clean Driving Record

Most jobs that you apply for where driving is involved will require that you obtain a driver’s abstract, and one speeding ticket could be enough to cost you a position. With a little work you can fight your speeding ticket and ensure that your employment options are kept open.

Reason Five: You Weren’t Speeding

Officers of the law are as fallible as the rest of us, and even those using radars can make mistakes. Why pay hundreds of dollars for something that you didn’t do? Take the time to have your case presented and hopefully you can walk away without a penalty you don’t deserve.

Reason Six: It’s Easier Than You Think

Many people choose to not fight a speeding ticket because they think they won’t win. In actual fact, without proof that you were actually speeding you cannot be convicted for speeding. When you receive the ticket ensure you record as much information possible, such as how your speed was documented (radar, while driving, stationary, etc). For the most part you will not need a lawyer to fight your ticket, all you’ll have to do is apply for a date in court and present your case. The worst case scenario is that you will end up having to pay for your ticket in the end.

There are many reasons for fighting speeding tickets, and keeping your driving record clean. So the next time you are handed a ticket, accept it without question and start preparing to fight it.