Speeding Tickets Attorney in Tampa, Florida
How To Fight A Speeding Ticket in the Tampa Bay Area
We have all been in situations where we are running late for work or for an appointment and are just trying to get there as soon as possible. Since you are running late, you decide to speed. That’s when you see the red and blue lights behind you and you get pulled over and the officer writes you a speeding ticket.
Punishment For Speeding Tickets
What type of fine or punishment you could get depends on how fast you were going. The fine for a ticket steadily increases depending on how much over the limit you were driving.
Speeding 6-9 mph over
• Fine between $118 - $151
• 3 points
Speeding 10-14 mph over
Fine between $193-$226
3 points
Speeding 15-19 mph over
Fine between $243-$276
4 points
Speeding 20-29 mph over
Fine between $268-$301
4 points
Speeding 30+ over the limit
Mandatory court appearance (judge can add additional sanctions, such as driving school)
Fine up to $500 or double if 2nd offense in 12 months
4 points
Possible driver’s license suspension
Speeding 50 or more
Mandatory court (judge can add additional sanctions, such as driving school)
1st offense: $1000 fine plus surcharges
4 points
Possible driver’s license suspension
2nd offense: $2500 fine plus surcharges
4 points
Mandatory 1 year driver’s license suspension
3rd offense: $5000 fine
Mandatory 10 year driver’s license suspension
Felony charge/ conviction
If you get a ticket for going too fast in a school zone or a construction zone, the fines will be doubled.
If you are a CDL driver, the sanctions could be even harsher and could lead to you losing your job. Furthermore, you are not allowed to elect driving school to avoid points on your license. This means that you have to go to court if you want to avoid points and avoid a possible loss of your job. Kerstin Wade is an experienced traffic ticket attorney who can help you with your ticket even if you have a CDL license. So what should you do?
Should You Fight Your Ticket?
At first you may think that paying the fine seems to be the easiest and that after you pay the ticket, that will be it. This, however, may not be the case. When you pay a speeding ticket, the DMV will automatically add points to your driving record. They will add 3 points for going up to 15 miles over the limit or 4 points if you go even faster than that. Once you reach a certain number of points, the DMV will suspend your driver’s license. In addition, your insurance company may increase your premium, causing you to pay hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars more over several years. So in the long run, it may be well worth it to fight the ticket.
Defenses For Speeding
If you decide to fight your ticket in court, the police officer has the burden of proof and has to show several things before the judge will find you guilty. Here are some of the things they court will look for:
Can the officer prove you drove the car
Was there a clearly visible speed limit sign
What speed measurement device did the officer use
Was that speed measurement device reliable
Does the officer have the necessary training for that particular device
Was the ticket written correctly
Did the officer use the correct statute
As you can imagine, it requires knowledge of the nuances of the law to be able to successfully fight a Tampa speeding ticket. But before you are able to mount your defense, there are certain procedures that need to be followed. The process is different from court to court and sometimes even varies between judges. Therefore, it is always a good idea to have an attorney who is familiar with the court and the judges. Feel free to give us a call today at 813-401-0130 to see how we can help you.