Potential Budget Buster - Speeding Ticket

[dfchelbay]

DH just called to tell me he got a speeding ticket last night while out of town for work. It was written up for 70 in a 55. Since this took place out of state, in Tennessee, I doubt we will go to court to fight the ticket.

Anyone know/estimate how this will effect our auto insurance. We've had completely clean records til this. We are experienced drivers (25+ years). So, I have no experience with how auto insurance companies will financially stick it to you for a ticket. Is it 5%, 10%, etc. or double...I have absolutely no idea, and I am not about to tip off my insurance company by asking them.

I checked some info on the internet and everything I found said it's probably a three point ticket. Anything 6-15 mph over is three points...seems a bit excessive to me. If you get a ticket for going 6 over, it's three points...geez.

Can you, my budget board buddies, please tell me your experiences with this type of situation. What did you do, how did you handle it, did you go to court to fight it and most importantly how did a speeding ticket affect your auto insurance premium.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Justsyd2]

DH got one of these not too long ago. Of course we didn't fight it because he WAS speeding. I'm not sure why you want to fight it -- if your DH was speeding then he owes the ticket -- but my DH paid the ticket, and our insurance did not go up.

 

[lspst8]

I unfortunately got a speeding ticket about 2 months ago on my drive home from work. I was clocked going 78 in a 65 zone, so not over quite as bad as your husband. I didn't get any points, and my insurance rates did not change at all. This was my first ticket in about 8 years, and don't have any accidents or other violations on my driving record. I live in Pennsylvania and have State Farm insurance. Not sure how these things differ in different states.

The ticket itself was $109.

 

[mjkacmom]

DH got one of these not too long ago. Of course we didn't fight it because he WAS speeding. I'm not sure why you want to fight it -- if your DH was speeding then he owes the ticket -- but my DH paid the ticket, and our insurance did not go up.

I have fought, as has DH (well, we waited on the "plead to the prosecuter" line). We live in NJ, and points can cost thousands of dollars in car insurance premiums (highest in the country as it is), and annual fines. Pleading sometimes costs more, after factoring court costs, but it's worth it to lessen the points.

 

[dfchelbay]

DH got one of these not too long ago. Of course we didn't fight it because he WAS speeding. I'm not sure why you want to fight it -- if your DH was speeding then he owes the ticket -- but my DH paid the ticket, and our insurance did not go up.

Just want to fight the 3 points. We will absolutely pay the fine/ticket. Just trying to avoid the four years those points remain on your driving and insurance record. Insurance companies can (and usually do) charge higher premiums because of the points, for a period of four years. That's what I'm trying to avoid.

 

[msmayor]

I unfortunately got a speeding ticket about 2 months ago on my drive home from work. I was clocked going 78 in a 65 zone, so not over quite as bad as your husband. I didn't get any points, and my insurance rates did not change at all. This was my first ticket in about 8 years, and don't have any accidents or other violations on my driving record. I live in Pennsylvania and have State Farm insurance. Not sure how these things differ in different states.

The ticket itself was $109.

Insurance companies generally won't assess the points and increase the rates until your renewal period...at least that's how it works in NJ.

Years ago my DH got a speeding ticket about two months after the renewal. 10 months later, when the renewal occurred again was when the points showed up and the three-years of surcharges began. The ticket was $80...surcharges were about $1000 paid over the three years.

 

[pixiewings71]

Only $80 for a speeding ticket? Sheesh, that's cheap! LOL I got one for going 73 in a 65 and it was about $400 after fees, of course I was speeding so I didn't fight it, I just sent in my fine and chose traffic school. In CA choosing traffic school eliminates any points you may be given, but you can only do traffic school every 18 months I think it is, I don't get many speeding tickets so when I do get them I can do traffic school. So, you pay your fine, court costs, traffic school fees and you're good to go. DBF got a ticket while we were driving in NV, he was able to do traffic school for that one, he just had to chose a traffic school that was approved for NV. The letter they sent detailed the information for him and gave him step by step instructions of what to do. So yes, budget buster for sure, but if traffic school is an option and it won't put points against you do it that way.

 

[Mom2micayla]

$80 is cheap for a ticket! The one I got for 10 miles over cost me about $200.

Has your husband considered taking a driver's ed course? Often you can do that and the points will be waived for you. I did that instead of paying the fine- I took an online safe driving course (cost me about $40 more than the ticket) and the points were never added to my license. Not sure about there, but here you can do it once every 3 years I think. Just something to look into.

 

[Joyful3Heart]

Are you sure he will be assessed points as he was out of state? I live in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania (PA, WV, OH) and PA only puts points on your license for citations issued in PA. I agree that the only reason I would ever fight a ticket would be to have the points reduced or eliminated. Believe it or not, you can still go to the magistrate even if you were speeding. You don't necessarily have to say you weren't speeding but you can bring up mitigating circumstances (like a good overall driving record). Sometimes the magistrate will lower the offense or eliminate the points as long as you pay the fine. Personally, though, I wouldn't fight a ticket out of state, it would probably be more time/stress/aggravation than it is worth.

 

[maggieusa]

When your insurance is renewed it may go up Can he go to driving school to have the points taken off of his licence.

 

[branv]

Do they not have deferred disposition or adjudication in that area? (i.e. rules around here can vary depending on area, but I think it is generally you pay a fine, but as long as you don't get another ticket within a specified amount of time, it is wiped off your record. We can also do the defensive driving route.) I hope for your sake they do offer these. Best of luck!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

Sorry! I feel your pain. After 20 years with a spotless record, I was ticketed for going 30 in a 25 earlier this month. Two points on my license and a $120 fine. But, like you, my biggest worry is the increased insurance premiums ... our policy is up for renewal next month.

 

[lynr]

My DS got a ticket in NY going a lot faster than your DH and it never showed up on his license at all. He did have to pay a hefty fine of $575 dollars.

We wrote a letter to the judge at the court listed on the ticket and they reduced how faster he was going but the fine was still there. I assumed the ticket would show up on his driving record but I guess since we live in NJ and he got the ticket in NY they didn't do anything with it.

Hopefully the same will happen for your DH.

 

[Leajess99]

You can fight a speeding ticket through the mail Here is one article on it. http://www.articlesbase.com/law-art...mail-what-actions-should-you-take-607537.html

 

[Floridagal23]

You can usually do a driving school either in person or online and that will probably get rid of 2-3 of the 4 points BEFORE your insurance gets reassessed.

 

[2girlsR2good]

In NC, about 5 days after the ticket, the letters from the lawyers start showing up at your house. My husband got a ticket on the other side of the state this summer. It was his first ticket in over 10 years. He hired one of the lawyers from the letters who represented him for around $100 and got some settlement w/out points based on his then-clean record. If he gets another ticket, we will pay a lot. Basically a "I'm so sorry, I don't usually speed and I promise it won't happen again." DH never had to do anything. I think these lawyers collect several cases and take care of them all in one day in court.

 

[cheerforchelsea]

I got a speeding ticket on my way to WDW....in Chattahoochee County, Georgia. It was about $200 the best I can remember......It did not effect my insurance rates at all I later learned that there is a speed trap there on Hwy 280 near Fort Benning so you can bet that I don't go 1 mph above the speed limit!!!

 

[swilshire]

Typically in Tennessee they ignore those going 70 in a 55 mph zone and go for the ones going 85 - 90. What are the chances your DH was going much faster than 70 and they gave him a break? Just curious.

All of my speeding tickets (two or three in the last nearly 40 years of driving) have been from city officers in really low speed limits.

Sheila