To regular motorists, speeding tickets are among a major nuisance. As simple as it might look to some people, being slapped with a speeding ticket inflicts stress to some motorists. Apart from the fines, there is more to speeding tickets that should indeed be a cause for alarm.
The humiliation can even be much higher if you plead guilty to this ticket. Without the proper defense, speeding tickets can cost you a lot of money or even land you in jail in worst cases. These are just some of the implications that make a Nassau County Traffic Lawyer advise their clients to never plead guilty to a speeding ticket.
In case you are wondering why it is never a good idea to plead guilty to a speeding ticket, here are some of the key reasons for doing so.
It gives you enough time to prepare for a case
Whenever you are awarded a speeding ticket and opt to take up the matter in court, the judge will most likely set the initial date of your trial about three months away. This gives you an ample time to prepare a proper defense before the trial begins. If you present yourself at the date of the trial and plead not guilty to the offense, there is a higher chance that the judge will again push the trial to at least six months away.
To even push the trial date further, you can still show up at the courts a few weeks before the trial and ask the judge to add you more time. The additional time given by the judge will give you the peace of mind required to get back to your normal life as you wait for the trial.
Avoid losing driving privileges
Whenever you plead guilty to a speeding ticket, you make it easy for the authorities to suspend or withdraw your driver’s license and other driving privileges. This mainly applies to people that have been awarded several speeding tickets in the past. However, pleading not guilty will give you time to continue enjoying your driving privilege as you wait for the trial.
Avoid paying heavy fines and high insurance premiums
Speeding tickets always come with fines that can go up to $200 in worst cases. Even after paying the heavy fine, you still have to cough up more money for your car insurance premiums. And this can go up to three or more years to come. Pleading not guilty to a speeding ticket will give you the platform to effectively argue your case for a reduced fine or even dismissal of the ticket.
If you succeed to have the case thrown out of the court, you will avoid the fines and continue paying the regular amount in insurance premiums. Besides, it will also enable you to maintain a good driving record.
While some people may view pleading guilty to a speeding ticket as an easy way out, it comes at a great price that could significantly harm your pockets. So, before you pay for that speeding ticket, talk to a professional traffic lawyer first for guidance.