how to fight a speeding ticket in pa

Our attorneys can be reached at (614) 361-2804. To do so, the prosecutor will usually call up the officer who issued your citation and ask him a series of questions in an attempt to establish his reliability. Sign up and well send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); jQuery(document).on(click, .wpcf7-submit, function(e){ Now is not the time to fight your case. Because of this, you need to know EXACTLY what the officer used to measure your speed. Remember, you're not making any arguments during cross-examination. Here is a list of our partners. On average, a 40-year-old driver with good credit and minimum coverage will pay $148 more per year with one speeding ticket on their record. If this is your first time ever receiving a speeding ticket, some states like New York are willing to dismiss your ticket if you complete a defensive driving course, usually offered in driving schools. The True Cost of a Speeding Ticket The actual cost of the ticket should not be your primary concern. How to pay a speeding ticket in Maryland. Ask specifics. Credit card payment by telephone by calling 800-390-7151. Credit card payment online by clicking on the "Pay or Contest Violation" button below. Over the phone by calling (800) 492-2656. The officer who issued the ticket is also asked to appear in court. Paying the ticket is easy, but will likely increase insurance rates. Although you have the right to represent yourself in court, you will likely feel much more comfortable with the help of a traffic attorney. How to beat a speeding ticket. A - IL. Yes, Here's How. Select whether or not you want the letter mailed to the traffic ticket issuer on your behalf! We are good at it. For every ticket that you pay, a percentage goes to the contracted company and the rest goes to the city. You should get documents on the radar device used to determine your speed to check for any malfunctions or recent repairs. If the officer says he will get a search warrant, politely tell him to do so and continue to refuse a search. If you recently received a traffic ticket in Pennsylvania, and have the means to prove it was issued. $25 fine for motorists not traveling with their headlights on in posted work zones. If caught speedingwhile driving through Pennsylvania, you can expect to pay a hefty fine. Pennsylvania police use a number or different methods to track vehicle speed and issue citations. However to beat a radar speeding ticket, you must understand how the radar works. You usually have to post bail in the amount of the fine, so check with the court to make sure you have the proper amount and proper payment method. If you have received a Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania, read more about the actions you can take to eliminate your speeding ticket. If you are clocked at 11 miles over the speed limit, the fine is $35 plus $2 for each mile greater than 5 over the speed limit. Before you try to fight a speeding ticket, check with your insurance to see how much your premiums will increase if you fight the ticket and lose since they might go up more than if you were to just plead guilty. However, the best way to avoid losing money over a speeding ticket is to simply plead "not guilty" and fight the ticket in court. You can get certain records at the DMV that can help you with your case. Maryland Uniform Traffic Citation Payment Kiosk. For example, depending on where you live: Your state may waive your first moving violation if you take a driving course. Fighting traffic tickets in Pennsylvania is a procedure that can be initiated by submitting a "not guilty" plea to the court that is processing your citation. Nothing placed upon this website is intended to be relied upon as legal advice. What Happens When You Get a Speeding Ticket. If you plan to fight the ticket, youll have to go to court, where a prosecutor will have to prove you were speeding. This will give you more time to build your case. Lacie Glover is an insurance editor and writer and a NerdWallet authority on insurance. Several hundred dollars are now being demanded from you because the camera captured your car and license plate. Pull over as soon as you see the officer's lights and there is a safe spot to do so. You may be able to request a negotiation before or at your hearing, but its the courts decision, so check on the courts website or call to be sure. Evidence could include dashcam video or GPS data from a smartphone app, or photographic evidence that a speed limit sign was obscured. You can question the issuing officer, including about his or her memory and training with speed-clocking equipment. To do this, you must send a written request to the court noted on your ticket to request a hearing, and then showing up on the assigned court date. Look up the method the officer used to clock your speed, note its weaknesses and prepare to present them. Instruction manuals include maintenance schedules you can question the officer about, and they may note radar gun weaknesses, for example. If you are facing a speeding ticket or traffic offense that could threaten your license, you may choose to contest the ticket and force the police and Pennsylvania prosecutors office to prove that you committed the traffic offense you were charged with beyond a reasonable doubt. When issued , most people simply pay the lower fine; however, if facing the larger ticket or the accumulation of points will cause your license to be suspended, fighting the ticket may be worthwhile. Select whether or not you want the letter mailed to the traffic ticket issuer on your behalf! Otherwise, to fight your ticket you'll need to plead "Not guilty" and challenge the officer's measurement of your speed or their identification of your vehicle. That way you can decide whether to contest the ticket or pay the fine. Doing this, the officer can immediately see that you're not an immediate threat, and his stress level is reduced. Unfortunately, enrolling in a defensive driving course will not reduce points on your Pennsylvania driving record. When you receive a traffic citation for speeding, the amount of the fine will be printed right on the ticket. If you do end up accepting the speeding ticket, its crucial to compare car insurance quotes; some companies will raise your rates more than others. The best tactic is to comply with the officer's requests, responding without embellishment. This stretch of road is right around the corner of my house and I drive it every morning to work in another district, so I'm familiar with the protocols when children are crossing the street to the school on the other side. Our office accepts e-mails from parties that visit this website, but the sending of such e-mails does not create an attorney-client relationship and therefore these communications cannot be treated as privileged or confidential. In other cases, fighting the ticket may be the best option. Your license will automatically be suspended. Legal Help for Moving Violations, Parking and Traffic Tickets - Speeding Tickets: 1/2 mile from my house I was clocked (Robic stopwatch) doing 49.1 MPH in a 35 zone (3.37 sec over Speeding Ticket Information (Stopwatch) - Pennsylvania As a writer, her work was featured in The Associated Press, The Motley Fool and U.S. News & World Report. 1. Call your DMV or licensing agency to see if your state has a similar program. Your best chances to win the argument will be if you have physical proof you werent speeding. ", answer, "No, I don't." Fighting speeding tickets in Pennsylvania can be easier than you think if you enlist the help of DoNotPay. Each traffic offense carries 2-5 points. When paying online, enter all required information and use your credit or debit card to pay the fine and additional charges, such as transaction fees. No bawling is necessary. Traffic tickets usually contain instructions on how to contest or enter a 'not-guilty' plea. This is different from most states, which use tiered penalties (e.g. You take a driving course instead of paying the speeding ticket. The defendant is you, as you're the person fighting charges. Your trial will occur within 45 days of the day you enter you plea. return false; MORE: How much can I save by refinancing my car? This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. However, try not to wait more than 30 seconds to find a safe spot. Some jurisdictions use similar technology for other traffic violations, such as illegal rail crossings or toll violations. In addition to the financial costs of a traffic ticket, you also need to consider the points assessed. The speed limit in Pennsylvania school zones is 15 miles per hour. Traffic school is one of the best options for most people who get a speeding ticket, so you should at least check to see if it's an option where you live. delaying or reducing the impact on insurance. How to Fight a Speeding Ticket - What to Do in 10 Steps Contents Remain calm and respectful Sign the paper copy of the ticket Check your contact information on your ticket copy Make sure you know how to handle the citation Read the instructions on how to pay your speeding ticket Attend defensive driving school instead of paying the fine The prosecutor/ADA is the individual or team working on behalf of the state to prove your guilt. Call (614) 361-2804. In other words, you do not have to testify against yourself. When your driving privileges are on the line, it isnt just a speeding ticket. When Will a Speeding Ticket Show Up on Insurance? 9 Best Car Insurance Companies of March 2023, The Difference Between Comprehensive and Collision Coverage, Get more smart money moves straight to your inbox. Subscribe to stay in the loop & on the road! Contact the Pennsylvania traffic court in the county where you received your citation for more specific information on how to enter your plea of not guilty. If there were many other cars similar to yours on the road that day, the officer may have pulled you over by mistake. If he asks how fast you were going, you do not have to answer the question. However, if you want to give some answer do not admit guilt here. Required fields are marked *. As soon as you've entered your plea, begin preparing for trial. These methods include Pacing, Aircraft Speed Detection, Manual Distance Timing ( VASCAR ), Laser and/or electronic Distance Timing (ENRADD) and Radar. If served, set a hearing, pleading "Not responsible." Disprove the plaintiff (private company) in court; win. You should also expect to pay: At Berman Law, our traffic attorneys can help you review your ticket and add up all the costs associated with your speeding or traffic violation, so you can decide whether you want to contest the ticket. A speeding ticket in PA will cost $42.50 for going 5 miles per hour or less over the limit in a 65 mph zone, and $35 for going 5 miles per hour or less over the limit in any other . How Many Points Is a 10 MPH Over Speeding Ticket? Since it can be difficult to prove you were not guilty when representing yourself in court, you may consider hiring an attorney to fight on your behalf. You can view a breakdown of Pennsylvania's traffic fines, updated in 2014, on the Traffic Injury Prevention Project website. However, if you dont pass within 30 days, your license will be suspended until you do. Drivers who rack up too many points face consequences like having to take a driver improvement course and license suspension. }); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); All of the information on the Colgan & Associates, LLC web site is for informational purposes only. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 106,613 times. If you choose to plead guilty to a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania, there are several ways to pay the fine within the deadline stated on your ticket. Shop our 2023 Best-Of Awards list. Keep you hands visible as the officer approaches your car, placing both hands on the steering wheel. You do not want the officer to think you are being hostile or reaching for a weapon. We offer a quick and easy solution to help you win against unfair speeding tickets without the stress of a court appearance. You may also be required to pass an on-road drivers exam. How Long Do You Have to Pay a Speeding Ticket? For instance, certain courts may allow initiating . You should probably avoid testifying against yourself while fighting a speeding ticket as it is unnecessary and could make you look bad. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. After you pass, or serve your suspension, two points will be taken off your record. You have the right to cross-examine anyone who testifies against you, which usually means the officer who wrote the citation. Worse, being rude or uncooperative can be counterproductive. Say as little as possible. The judge is the person overseeing the case, who has final authority on the rulings. You can call in witnesses, including any passengers in the car when the ticket was issued. How to Fight a Speeding Ticket If you get a speeding ticket, you may think your only course of action is to pay the fine, accept the points from PennDOT and watch your insurance rates go up. The court handling the ticket should be included on the ticket. Speeding ticket fines in PAcan range from around $45-over $100. One of the easiest ways to pay for your speeding ticket in PA, especially if you do not live in Pennsylvania, is by paying it online. You can fight your traffic ticket by scheduling a court hearing. That's it! If the officer was in the wrong jurisdiction or enforcing the wrong code for the area, for example, the judge would likely rule in your favor. Go to the Traffic Division's website at courts.phila.gov/traffic. Radio Detection And Ranging or radar as it is popularly known works by emitting radio waves. In most cases, this includes the Pennsylvania traffic ticket fine AND any court costs and surcharges. An Ohio appeals court issued an interesting decision the other day on the issue of pacing. Your day in court resembles most other types of hearings. In fact, roughly half of the drivers who do take a speeding ticket to traffic court end up winning the fight. If a plea bargain can't be agreed upon, the PA traffic court will assign you a date to return for trial before a judge. Merely visiting our websites does not create an attorney-clent relationship with the law offices of Colgan & Associates, LLC. If the judge rules against you, you can appeal the case to a higher court. Take notes during the prosecution so you can prepare your cross-examination. It rarely pays to argue your case then. Mitigation is making a deal with the prosecutor and court; it saves the jurisdiction money by avoiding a hearing while lowering your penalty for the ticket. Find out how to fight a speeding ticket or other traffic offense, and when you should hire our speeding ticket lawyers to help you. 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