Now you may want to, “go fast” like Ricky Bobby, but roadways and highways are not the speedway, so try to keep your lead foot away from the gas pedal unless you’re on the track, where you won’t wind up with a speeding ticket.
If you do find yourself with a speeding ticket there are numerous ways that we can help you to fight your Missouri speeding ticket. Continue reading to learn more about how to fight a speeding ticket and what to do if you are pulled over for speeding in the future.
You’ve Got A Speeding Ticket Now What?
When you receive your ticket from the officer that pulled you over, he or she will most likely tell you how to ‘take care’ of your ticket by letting you know where you can go to pay for the ticket, a.k.a plead guilty. However, paying for your ticket without consulting a traffic ticket attorney in Springfield is not the best way to take care of your ticket. After you receive your speeding ticket, the first thing you need to do is to call a trusted traffic ticket attorney and schedule a complimentary consultation to go over the details of your alleged traffic infraction.
At this consultation, you and your attorney will go over the details of the event to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of your case. From here you will decide, with the help of your attorney, if you want to contest the speeding ticket.
Why You Should Contest Your Speeding Ticket
Many people don’t want to deal with traffic tickets so they just pay them and move on. However, even though it seems like the traffic ticket ordeal is over with it, by paying the speeding ticket you actually keep the ticket around you a lot longer than if you had contested it.
Here are just some of the reasons why you should contest your speeding ticket in Missouri:
- Avoid points being added to your license. When you pay or plead guilty to a traffic ticket, points are added to your driver’s license. The more points you have on your license the more chance you have of losing your license.
- Have a clean driving record. When you plead guilty to your traffic offense (pay the ticket or in court) it can show up on your driving record for up to five years.
- Avoid paying outrageous insurance premiums. Tickets equal higher insurance rates.
- More options. When you fight your ticket in court, especially if you work with a traffic ticket attorney, you will be given more options than just a traffic ticket. Meaning your offense could be reduced to a lesser defense or dismissed. You’ll never know if you don’t try.
How To Fight Your Speeding Ticket
There are a couple of ways that you can fight your ticket, either by going to court and representing yourself, which is called, “proceeding pro se”, or with the help of an experienced traffic ticket attorney.
If you are proceeding pro se (not recommended), follow these steps from NerdWallet to prepare for the best outcome:
- Delay the hearing if you can. Give yourself some time in order to research and build your case.
- Gather evidence for your case. Physical evidence is king and can help you to win your case if you have physical proof that you weren’t speeding. This can include a dashcam video or GPS data from an app or even photographic evidence like an obscured speed limit sign.
- Research speed equipment. To further prove your case, look up the method the officer used to get your speed. Find what the weaknesses of that type of equipment are and present them in court.
- Make witness arrangements. In court you are able to call upon witnesses, this can include any passengers that were in the vehicle at the time that you were issued the ticket.
- Write down your questions. In court, you can question the officer who issued the ticket, about their training, training with speed-clocking equipment and the memory of the arrest. Make sure to stick to questions with short answers and avoid asking “why” questions.
If you decide to work with an attorney (recommended), they will do all the hard work for you and make sure that the charges are reduced or dismissed altogether. You just need to show up. Contact Springfield Traffic Tickets for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you get rid of your ticket once and for all.
What To Do If You’re Pulled Over For Speeding Again
If you are pulled over again for speeding (or for anything else), follow these steps for things to go smoothly with the officer:
- Acknowledge the officer by turning on your hazards when you pull over or at least your turn signal. Hazards may be necessary if you have to drive a while before you can pull over safely.
- Pullover to a safe area.
- Stay in your car and don’t reach for anything until told to do so.
- Stay calm.
- Keep your answers short and never admit to any wrongdoing.
- Wait for the officer to ask for documents before giving them over.
- Sign the citation. Signing is not admitting guilt, it’s just verifying that you received the ticket.
- Merge safely back into traffic.
- Once parked or not driving, write down exactly what happened so that you can tell your attorney.
- Call a speeding ticket lawyer in Springfield ASAP.
For more information, call our legal team today in Springfield, MO. We are here to help.