Interstate 5 (I-5) is the more significant feeder for 100+ mph and regular speeding tickets than SR-99. However, we can help drivers resolve a speeding ticket in Fresno County Traffic Court, regardless of the freeway or circumstances. Always consult a speeding ticket attorney.
Speeding Ticket Conviction & the Consequences
Although most drivers know that the faster you go over the speed limit, the higher the fine will be, most don’t realize what those consequences entail outside of the fine. They figure I’ll just go down to the courthouse, pay the fine, and get it over with now. The truth is, paying the fine only sets the stream of consequences rolling.
The fine for speeding 1-15 mph over what is prudent or over the speed limit carries a penalty of around $235-240, 16-24 mph over is $350-360, and 25 mph over up to 99 mph is $490-500. If convicted of any of these speeding tickets, the DMV will assess one Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) point for these minor infractions. That is, if you are not eligible for Traffic Violators School (TVS).
However, speeding over 100 mph is a major infraction. According to CVC 22348, Speed Laws, this is a major infraction with a mandatory court appearance by you or your attorney. California counties maintain jurisdiction of traffic tickets so that they can collect the revenue. Therefore, wherever you live, you will need to return to Fresno County, quite likely twice to resolve the ticket, unless you hire a lawyer, which would be exceedingly wise.
A traffic ticket attorney can resolve your speeding ticket without your presence. But if you decide to represent yourself and get convicted, your fine will be between $300 and $500 for the first incidence. The state and county will add ten surcharges, which will bring the total to between $900 and $2,500, you will get assessed two NOTS points, and the judge has the discretion to suspend your license for 30 days, on the spot.
That fine is still meager compared to the increased insurance premiums you will pay, if convicted.
TVS & Insurance Premiums
TVS is a program adopted by the CA legislature to give drivers who commit a minor infraction the opportunity to attend a defensive driving course approved by the DMV. You must plead guilty and pay your fine, but if you complete the course before the court ordered date, the conviction will remain confidential from your insurance company, who will not raise their rate since they will not know about the conviction.
To be eligible for TVS, you must have a CA driver’s license, you must not have used it within the last 18 months to mask a ticket, you must not have a mandatory court appearance, and it must have been a minor infraction. That means it cannot be used for major infractions, misdemeanors, or felonies such as DUI, reckless driving, or hit and run.
If you have used TVS or you are not otherwise eligible to attend, your insurance company will learn of your speeding conviction at renewal and raise your rates. The average California driver pays $1,960 per year for auto insurance. Losing your “good driver’s discount” will mean a 20% raise and the increased risk will account for ten to twenty-five percent more depending on your speed. Most drivers pay $1,500 more for insurance during the three years after a minor speeding ticket they were not eligible to mask with TVS.
What’s more, the conviction for speeding 100+ mph will stay on your motor vehicle driving record (MVR) for seven years. Your insurance will double or triple, and you could pay between $20,000 and $30,000 more for coverage during those seven years.
Speeding Considerations
There are many things you should consider before you pay the fine. For instance, how did the law enforcement officer (LEO) determine you were speeding? Did the LEO use Radar, Lidar, pacing, or did they estimate your speed?
That’s right! Some traffic court judges will allow an experienced LEO to GUESS your speed. Usually, the judge won’t let an LEO with less than two years on the force guess your speed, but certainly, a five to ten-year traffic cop might get the benefit of the doubt. This is especially true when a driver challenges a speeding ticket without the benefit of legal counsel.
Another consideration is, were you exceeding the speed limit? You’re probably chuckling right now, thinking, “Duh!” But, would you be surprised if we told you that you could get a speeding ticket for going less than the speed limit? Have you ever heard the term, “too fast for conditions”?
CA Vehicle Code (CVC) 22350, Speed Laws states, “No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather…” Although most drivers think of this traffic law as “too fast for conditions” it could also work the other way when argued effectively. What if it is a clear day with no precipitation, and you are ticketed for 80 mph in 70 mph zone?
Regardless of the method used to determine your speed, the conditions, TVS, or the amount of the fine, you should always consult a speeding ticket attorney.
Speeding Ticket Attorneys Who Handle Fresno County
Call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
We are traffic ticket lawyers who assist drivers in resolving tickets using a flat fee so that you know what you will pay us before we begin. We can’t promise a dismissal or reduced no-point violation, but we have an impressive record of success, particularly with speeding 100+ mph tickets.
Email attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
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