Most drivers have sped at one point or another, even if just a couple of miles per hour over the speed limit. By using our site, you agree to our. Check the ticket to find out whether a state, county or local officer issued it and search online for traffic procedures in that jurisdiction. Your driver's license could be canceled, no matter how good your . You should get a record on the police officer to look for any previous cases he's won or lost in traffic court. If served, set a hearing, pleading "Not responsible." Disprove the plaintiff (private company) in court; win. Why You Should Fight A Speeding Ticket He will have a court clerk, who is his assistant. If you are caught speeding there, you will receive a fine and three points are added to your driving record. Some get lucky when driving over the speed limit, while others get caught and are hit with hefty fines. If you dont attend the hearing, your license will automatically be suspended for 60 days. The police officer, if he shows up, will be the main witness of the prosecution. Upload a photo of your speeding ticket. You will need to attend a mandatory departmental hearing. Your best chances to win the argument will be if you have physical proof you werent speeding. Theres nothing fun about the feeling you get when those blue lights flash behind you on the highway. Even if you were clocked at 26 miles per hour, the ticket is under $50. Exceeding a speed limit by at least 26 miles per hour. e.preventDefault(); return false; We know how to fight a speeding ticket with efficacy and diligence. After you pass, or serve your suspension, two points will be taken off your record. If caught speedingwhile driving through Pennsylvania, you can expect to pay a hefty fine. Going to court to contest a speeding ticket or traffic offense may be worthwhile if: Our Pennsylvania traffic attorneys will stand by your side throughout the process of contesting a speeding ticket or traffic violation. } Do what the officer asks of you without arguing or getting defensive. That way you can decide whether to contest the ticket or pay the fine. These lawyers typically specialize in DUIs and more serious cases, but some take speeding ticket cases. If all this sounds like more than youd want to handle on your own, you can enlist a traffic lawyer to help you. Compare over 50 top car insurance quotes and save. You have the right to remain silent. ", answer, "No, I don't." Pay PA Speeding Tickets Online One of the easiest ways to pay for your speeding ticket in PA, especially if you do not live in Pennsylvania, is by paying it online. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539, NMLS Consumer Access|Licenses and Disclosures, California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812, Property and Casualty insurance services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no. Technicalities can also help you get your ticket dismissed. However, a traffic ticket can end up costing you a lot more money in insurance premiums, and winning your case may be easier than you think. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. You can try representing yourself or retain an attorney to negotiate on your behalf or fight the ticket. , possibly resulting in suspension of your license. Plan your questions. Look up the method the officer used to clock your speed, note its weaknesses and prepare to present them. You can look forward to: Now make sure to pull a copy of your driving record to ensure that it is clear. You take a driving course instead of paying the speeding ticket. CALL NOW: 800-874-8583; Choose Your State. Lacie Glover is an insurance editor and writer and a NerdWallet authority on insurance. You may think that your only option once you have received a speeding ticket is to pay the fine, watch your insurance rates rise, and accept the addition of points from PennDOT. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. For example, speeding up to 10 miles over the speed limit is a 2-point violation. Reviewing Your Ticket 1 Check your ticket for accuracy. 2. Instead, give a noncommittal answer like, "I'm not really sure.". Evidence could include dashcam video or GPS data from a smartphone app, or photographic evidence that a speed limit sign was obscured. For example, the fine for speeding is $120-$200, and the fine for careless driving is $400-$2000. First, look over your citation. But you do have an option you can fight your speeding ticket. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. You have the right to cross-examine anyone who testifies against you, which usually means the officer who wrote the citation. Do not say something like, "I wasn't speeding. Here is a list of our partners. At the hearing, the examiner will decide whether to implement a 30 day suspension based on the facts in your case. Pay attention to your shirt color, any small dents or cracks in your car, and any noticeable physical characteristics of the officer. How to fight a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania To get a violation dismissed and avoid the negative repercussions, drivers can fight the ticket by taking their case to court. Ask specifics. traffic school or defensive driving course. Instantly compare top auto insurance companies. Before hiring a lawyer, ask if it will cost you more money to hire a lawyer than if you were to just pay the ticket. Super Speeder Fee: Additional charge of $200 if you're caught going at least 85 miles per hour or at least 75 miles per hour on a two-lane roadway. Check the PAePay website to see if the traffic court your ticket was assigned to accepts online payments, as it varies by county. Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. You should only plead "guilty with explanation" if you were speeding due to an emergency. Lacie is a NerdWallet authority on insurance products and loves data, analytics and solving SEO mysteries. 3 Visit the Department of Motor Vehicles. If you plead "not guilty," focus your defense on either challenging the officer's means of measuring your speed or his identification of your automobile. If you opt to represent yourself, you'll need to have some familiarity with the procedures of Pennsylvania traffic court before fighting your ticket. If you choose this option, be sure to return the plea and payment by the time stated on the ticket to prevent a bench warrant from being issued for your arrest. Nothing placed upon this website is intended to be relied upon as legal advice. There are three ways to set your court date. You have the right to a court trial with a judge. If you are facing a speeding ticket or traffic offense that could threaten your license, you may choose to contest the ticket and force the police and Pennsylvania prosecutors office to prove that you committed the traffic offense you were charged with beyond a reasonable doubt. If you are convicted of a traffic offence, you may also be required to pay a victim surcharge and court costs. The goal is to avoid the speeding ticket going on your driving abstract, so that your insurance is not affected. If you dont pass that exam, your license will be suspended for 15 days. You can view a breakdown of Pennsylvania's traffic fines, updated in 2014, on the Traffic Injury Prevention Project website. Speeding in a school zone or exceeding a speed limit by 11 to 15 miles per hour. Show respect in your actions and words. Doing this, the officer can immediately see that you're not an immediate threat, and his stress level is reduced. How a speeding ticket is classified depends on several factors. Our office accepts e-mails from parties that visit this website, but the sending of such e-mails does not create an attorney-client relationship and therefore these communications cannot be treated as privileged or confidential. Depending on the judge's verdict, there are a variety of consequences to fighting your traffic ticket in Pennsylvania. Where you cannot win the ticket, delaying the conviction (the finding of guilt . Remember, you're not making any arguments during cross-examination. Delay the hearing. The details you wrote down earlier in terms of the incident you were pulled over will come in handy here. If you receive a speeding ticket, the fine amount will be printed right on it. Gather evidence. If you ask for a hearing, plan to make your case and be questioned before a judge. If you are found guilty, you will also have to pay the penalties and fines. How to Fight a Speeding Ticket - What to Do in 10 Steps Contents Remain calm and respectful Sign the paper copy of the ticket Check your contact information on your ticket copy Make sure you know how to handle the citation Read the instructions on how to pay your speeding ticket Attend defensive driving school instead of paying the fine Although all this may seem like a lot of hassle for a $50 ticket, getting a PA speeding ticket dismissed can save you hundreds over time from increased insurance rates and accumulated driving points. In some cases, you may be able to look up your traffic ticket online. Get your attitude right. You'll receive an appeal letter that contains state vehicle codes to boost your case. It wont just go away on its own, and youll be in much bigger trouble with the law. Posting bail means you've already paid your fine, so if you lose your case there will be no additional fees. Subscribe to stay in the loop & on the road! If you do end up accepting the speeding ticket, its crucial to compare car insurance quotes; some companies will raise your rates more than others. But, in order to properly pace a vehicle, the officer must take certain steps. A search warrant is required without probable cause. You should probably avoid testifying against yourself while fighting a speeding ticket as it is unnecessary and could make you look bad. If the officer does not show, which happens sometimes, you will be found not guilty. Typically in mitigation, you admit to the offense and present information that would lead a judge to grant you leniency. dispute the ticket. I'm a school teacher in PA and was just pulled over Friday morning for going 25 in an "active school zone" (15 mph). If you commit serious traffic violations pa, you will face fines that are heavier penalties. Besides paying the initial fee, after a ticket, your car insurance rates can rise by hundreds of dollars per year. 5 points. Your day in court resembles most other types of hearings. Now is not the time to fight your case. If the prosecution fails to prove the case against you, you will be found not guilty. In fact, roughly half of the drivers who do take a speeding ticket to traffic court end up winning the fight. The police officer will aim the radar at the target vehicle. As the officer is exiting his car, roll down the driver's side window. 1. However, try not to wait more than 30 seconds to find a safe spot. Politely ask the officer if he can move the court appearance to the county seat. This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Yes, Here's How. MORE: Comparing auto insurance rates after speeding tickets. To do so, alert the court within 10 days of receiving the notice that you are pleading not guilty. If you choose to plead guilty to a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania, there are several ways to pay the fine within the deadline stated on your ticket. delaying or reducing the impact on insurance. The cost for PA speeding tickets varies according to the speeding scale fineover the posted speed limit. If the Pennsylvania judge decides you're not guilty of the traffic violations, congrats! Our attorneys can be reached at (614) 361-2804. Continue to get speeding tickets and the suspensions will keep adding up. Be polite, dont argue, and try to be unremarkable. If you don't feel comfortable representing yourself or want legal advice to see the best way to fight the ticket, enlist the help of a traffic attorney. Maryland Uniform Traffic Citation Payment Kiosk. When your driving privileges are on the line, it isnt just a speeding ticket. When the officer asks for your license and registration, politely explain where these documents are and ask permission to reach for them. In most cases, pa tickets points reduction will end up with you getting between 2 to 5 points. Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania | Ticket Counsel Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania Fines and Fees Speeding 1-10 miles over: 2 - 4 points / $85 - $170 Speeding 11 - 15 miles over: 3 - 5 points / $115 - $235 Speeding 16 - 24 miles over: 4 - 6 points / $135 - $306 Speeding 25 - 35 miles over: 5 - 7 points / $160 - $380 Speeding tickets have more penalties than just a fine. Notice of Intended Prosecution Loopholes You Have to Know, How to Pay Your Houston Water Bills Online Hassle-Free, How to Remove My Case From The Internet Instantly, How to Recover Your Forgotten Workday Password Hassle-Free, How to Stay In Touch With Inmates at Clements Unit, Sending Money to an Inmate Has Never Been Easier, How to dispute seatbelt tickets in any state, Learn about filing a complaint against any company, Renew your car registration the quick and easy way, PA commercial drivers driving "carelessly" or "recklessly". Our partners compensate us. Speeding ticket fines in PAcan range from around $45-over $100. If you have any passenger's, take note of their names and make sure they stay silent during the exchange. A jury will usually not be called in for traffic court. Pleading "No Contest" means you're not contending the charges but not pleading guilty either. Your citation should include the address to remit your PA speeding ticket payment via mail.