Questions Regarding Getting a Speeding Ticket

Hello C.,
If this is your first speeding ticket, the court does ask why you were speeding. They do reduce your fine. I don't think they ask you for traffic school for the first time. It also depends on the courtrooom, all judges might ask different questions.
If you get caught speeding more than once, they will suggest traffic school. Accidents are caused more by speeding & not watching out. I drive like a grandma, my choice to be safe than sorry. Good luck, G.

well if I were you I would just pay the ticket and then do the class. If you go to court you might miss a day out of work have to pay court fees and have to pay more money for the ticket . good luck. S.

Hi C.,

From my understanding, you only need to go to court if you disagree with the ticket (ie wasn't speeding, you were speeding but not by as much as officer said, etc). I got a ticket about 4 years ago, which I deserved so I just paid the ticket and went to traffic school, so it never showed any 'points' on my record.

Good luck,
N.

Hi,
Like another Mama, my husband used ticketassasin.com and was able to fight a ticket. I just got a ticket myself and am going to do the same. Hopefully I'll get the results!

The best option is to go to traffic school and reduce or eliminate the points on your driving record. I had two tickets several years ago that never showed up because I went to traffic school, so I think what you pay for school is less than what you will pay in increased premiums. Good luck.

Dear C.,
I got a speeding ticket too. I was driving back after being gone from my kids for a week and a half for work related training. It was a glorious sunny day on an open stretch of hiway with no other cars in sight. Except for a CHP hiding behind and over-pass. I was in the middle of nowhere, in a different county, with an officer who called in for back up. Like all 113 pounds of me was going to try to make a break for it. They took everything out of my car, searched all my suitcases and everything right on the side of the road. They kept telling me I was lying about not having any drugs. It was the worst experience of my life. After all that, they gave me a ticket for going WAY faster than I was and let me go.
Anyway, I called the court in that county and they were so nice to me. They told me I was only one of about a million complaints regarding that kind of treatment in that area. They told me how to file a complaint and what all of my options were. Because the jurisdiction was far from home, I ended up doing on-line traffic school and none of it showed up on my record or affected my insurance. I could have fought the ticket, but what I would gain wasn't worth losing time from work and the expense of the drive, etc. That's just what worked for me.
Call the court and talk to a human being. Let them tell you all your options and what happens if you do A, B, or C. In my case they even gave me an extension of time to have it all done. They will work with you and help you, but you need to call them right away. Have your ticket with the case number and everything when you call. Take notes.
That's really the best place to start.

Good luck!

I got a ticket and when to court, the officer didn't show and everything was dropped!!! Take the chance and the time! Even if he does show, they usually lessen the fine for you just showing. And you can get your traffic school. GOOD LUCK!

Hi C.,

Here is some advice from someone in the business. Don't bother going to court if you are guilty. They wont necessarily lower your fine. Don't waste your time, the court's time and the officer's time for something you are guilty for. It's a myth that cops wont show up to court because they do go. It is good, easy OT for them!

And, if you fight it and lose you may not be eligable for traffic school. Good luck.

J.

In court, you can plead your case and the office will plead his/her's (they have to show up usually). It will also depend on the judge. Some will give reduced fees, some will not. If the officer had radar, you will pretty much lose. If you do traffic school, you still have to pay the fine. In 99% of cases, the court will side with the officer.

Hi, C. If this is your first ticket in a while, you should go to traffic school. You can even do it online now. If you go to school, it doesn't go on your record. If you go to court, there is no way of knowing if your fine will be reduced. My husband who is an expolice officer, has had a few tickets over the past 8 years. He goes to online school Good luck

Hello C., if you go to TicketAssassins.com and follow the directions. You might have to pay $25 to get the answer you need to help you. But I will tell you that it is worth it. I got a speeding ticket along time ago. Went to the website paid the $25 they geve me instructions to fight the ticket. I didn't have to go to court or pay anything. I just mailed in my argument and that was it. They waved it. Good luck!
M. M.

Go. If you go, sometimes the officer who wrote the ticket doesn't show up and you get off. Worst case is you end up paying the full fine and getting a point. They could reduce fee, send you to traffic school (real or online), and orgive you a warning.

Can't loose. Go.
Stephanie

Yes, go to court and ask for traffic school. They usually lower your fines and traffic school will avoid insurance increases. Totally worth taking a morning to do.

It is NOT worth contesting it. You almost never win, especially in a case of speeding.

Sad to say I've done this a few times, so I know what I'm talking about. (But not since I got a lot older and wiser and more mature.)

Hi C.
I just got a speeding tickect on Monday
pay the ticket go to traffic school and its over with don't fight it you know you were speeding and you got caught just like I did and learn from it and move on
God Bless
Danielle

Hello C.,
If your as busy as I am with a little one, going to court to fight a ticket might not be worth it. I recently got a speeding ticket in napa. My husband wanted me to fight it. But he isn't the one having to deal with finding a baby sitter, so I could go spend days in court, "for something I was guilty of doing" on a hope that the officer doesn't show up and charges get dropped. Cause thats the only way to beat a speeding ticket, (if the officer doesn't show up) Anyways, I was lucky, napa county offers traffic school on line. The county I live in does not. So maybe find out if the county where you got the ticket, offers online traffic school. it was easy, and at least I did not get points on my record. good luck. A. Z

I got a speeding ticket 4 years ago and did online traffic school. It was very convenient. I did still have to pay the fine, though. What is you reason for protesting the ticket? Did the officer write it for the wrong speed? Were you not speeding? I would think you have to have a reason to object to the violation or a reason to reduce the fine, ie you are destitute. The purpose of a ticket is for you to think about the law you broke and not do it again. Paying a few hundred dollar fine usually works.

I got a ticket for running a red light (photo light)at 5am (when all lights were out - I didn't realize one light was working after 5 miles of them all being yellow). The ticket was very expensive. I went to traffic court, but did not go further (trial) because it would have taken even more time (you have to set a date and go back to court). I am not sure how successful trial would have been, but for me I sat around for hours, they first took ALL non-english speaking people first (which too well over an hour) and many of them got their tickets waived(for driving without a US license) and when it was my turn I ended up with maybe a $40 reduction to the initial fine, but then had to pay to go to traffic school. Traffic school on-line is great, but the entire process was horrible and very timely. However with that said, you don't want your insurance to go up because of a driving violation. Each county is different so it might depend on the county - some are very strict too (from what I have heard). Good luck.

It is too bad people want to lecture you, because the ticket is injury enough (I know) and we all make mistakes.

In my city you have to go to the court to request traffic school. You go before the judge and he/she will decide if the will allow you to. If you were spoeeding dont go in there and tell them you weren't. Its gonna cost you cause I had to pay the fine and pay for traffic school. I did the online traffic school and it was great cause I could do it from home. They throw in some crazy questions just to see if you are actually reading the material so beware of that. Stay safe and slow down. You wont get there any faster in you crash.

I would go to court. If you fight it altogether with a trial and lose, you won't be able to go to traffic school.

Go to court. The judge will more than likely reduce the fine and allow you to make payments if you ask him. He will allow you to pay for traffic school also. It is well worth the time.
- J.