The crucial things you need to know about a speeding ticket are affecting your driving record and your auto insurance premium.
How a Speeding Ticket Affects Your Driving Record
After getting a speeding ticket, most people look online to see how much the fine is and decide whether to challenge the speeding ticket based on the amount of the fine. In CA, a paid fine or conviction of speeding 1-15 mph over the speed limit or safe driving speed due to road and weather conditions will cost about $238. The 16-24 mph over fine will cost around $360, and the 25 mph over speed limit up to 99 mph will cost approximately $490. Plus, a 100+ mph speeding ticket will cost between $900 and $2,600, depending largely on the county and the judge. The base fine is usually between $300 and $500.
Of course, if you look online, they will usually quote the “base fine” of $35, $70, or $100. The base fine was the original fine when the law was passed. However, since then, the State Assembly has added ten fees, surcharges, and penalties to help build courts, pay for night court, DNA ID, emergency services, and a host of others that make your fine five to seven times the base fine.
Despite the significant difference between the base fine and the actual fine, the fine is negligible compared to the auto insurance increase that will remain on your motor vehicle driving record (MVR) between three (for the first three) and seven years (for 100+ mph speeding).
Your Speeding Ticket & Traffic Violator’s School (TVS) & Your Insurance
For a speeding ticket between one and 24 mph over the speed limit, you might be able to attend TVS. However, before you consider pleading guilty to a speeding charge, paying the fine, the non-refundable administrative fee to the county, and tuition, you need to be sure you can finish before the court-ordered completion date. Otherwise, it is a waste of money.
That’s right; the court gives you a completion date. Before that date, the school must have sent the completion certificate to the DMV for filing. BTW, you will pay an additional fee to the DMV for filing it in your motor vehicle driving record (MVR). Therefore, if you do not finish on time, the DMV will assess the negligent operator treatment system (NOTS) point. When your insurance company finds out (typically at renewal), you will lose your “good driver’s discount.” The insurance provider will add the percentage of risk associated with your speeding ticket. The faster your speed, the higher the increase. Therefore, it just makes sense to discuss the speeding ticket with a traffic attorney before you decide.
You might not even be eligible for TVS; you must:
- Have a valid CA driver’s license.
- Not have used it within the previous 18 months to hide a traffic ticket.
- Not have been driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) when you got the ticket.
- Not have a mandatory court appearance for speeding 100+ mph, misdemeanors, and felonies. That includes drug and alcohol charges.
Never use it for a non-moving violation unless you want the educational benefit, such as a first-time cell phone ticket, no proof of insurance in possession, or loud exhaust. These do not carry a NOTS penalty, and there is no financial benefit. Just go to the police station and get them to sign off on the ticket after making the corrections. Likewise, you must attend a DMV-approved school.
What’s more, if you have two traffic tickets, pleading guilty to one and attending TVS will not financially benefit you because you will still lose your “good driver’s discount” and suffer the higher insurance premium, which will last three to seven years, as mentioned earlier. Talk to a CA traffic attorney before you decide. It could save you a lot of money.
In Tulare County, Opt to Consult a Bakersfield Traffic Ticket Team to Resolve Your Speeding Ticket
When you get ticketed on route #65, 99, or 198 and must resolve your speeding ticket in Porterville or Visalia Traffic Court, call the traffic ticket team of Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. TVS might not be the best option.
We assist primarily Central and Owen Valley drivers with speeding tickets and other traffic tickets or at DMV NOTS hearings to prevent suspension. Give us a call to see what we can do for you.
Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
Email: attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
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