Speeding Tickets Can Be Much More Serious Than You Might Think
In Upstate New York, a speeding ticket can get you more than just a slap on the wrist. There will be expensive fines to pay. Under New York State's driver's license points system, too many speeding tickets — three in 18 months — will result in a mandatory license suspension.
In fact, any combination of speeding tickets and other offenses that adds 11 points to your license can trigger a DMV hearing that may result in the suspension of your driving privileges. If you have received a ticket for speeding or a more serious offense like reckless driving or fleeing the scene of an accident (also known as hit and run), it pays to know your rights and options.
Excessive Speed and Reckless Driving
A single ticket for traveling more than 40 miles per hour over the posted limit can also cost you your license, especially if the police tack on a reckless driving charge. Even if you have no other points on your record, one offense could cost you thousands of dollars in fines, fees and increased insurance rates, not to mention the hassle of a suspended or revoked license.
Speeding in a School or Construction Zone
It doesn't matter whether children or workers are present — if you receive a speeding violation in a school or construction zone, you face double the fine and double the points added to your license. The police don't care whether you were unfamiliar with the area or that the reduced speed signs were obstructed or missing. Unless you fight the ticket, you will have to pay.
Should You Hire an Attorney?
Even with these serious potential consequences, many people still wonder if it is worth it to hire a lawyer to fight a speeding ticket. Although every situation is different, in many cases the overall cost of a speeding ticket — including yearly surcharges — tends to outweigh reasonable legal fees.
Does it always make immediate financial sense to hire a lawyer to minimize the consequences of a speeding ticket? Not necessarily. Just remember that paying a fine does not make the ticket go away. Paying a speeding ticket means pleading guilty to an offense that will stay on your record for over a year, and future tickets could result in the suspension of your license.
It can't hurt to at least have an attorney take a look at your situation. At the independent law offices of Joel N. Melnicoff and Albert D. DiGiacomo, we have the experience and resources to examine every angle of the incident to determine whether it makes sense to challenge your ticket or if there are other options for minimizing the consequences.
We are advocates you can trust. We won't steer you wrong or try to convince you to fight a traffic ticket if it's not in your best interest to do so. Let us offer you the benefit of our experience. Contact our Syracuse area offices today for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
