Getting a speeding ticket doesn't have to mean points on your license
There you are, having a great day, minding your own business. You've got the windows down and you're just enjoying the fresh air, when, out of nowhere, you see blue flashing lights behind your car. What the %@$&!
Nothing can ruin your day faster than getting a speeding ticket. You have a hundred thoughts rushing through your head in the time it takes the officer to walk up to your car and ask for your license and registration, and none of them are good. So much for your great day.
Fear not, I'm here to tell you, getting a speeding ticket doesn't have to be the end of the world, and as I like to tell people who come into my office with the speeding ticket they just received, "If this is the worst thing that happens to you in life, you're doing pretty well." You need to keep it in perspective.
One of the biggest reasons why getting a speeding ticket is so traumatic for people is the potential cost associated with it. In addition to the cost of the ticket, if you were to pay the ticket and get points, according to this article by insurance.com, getting points on your license can equate to an increase of almost 50% of your insurance premium. So I get it, there's reasons to be upset about getting a speeding ticket.
But what if I told you getting a speeding ticket doesn't have to mean points on your license or sitting through traffic school (otherwise known as being bored out of your life for 4 hours). Oh, do I have your attention now. Thought so.
Did you know, in Florida, you can hire an attorney to fight your speeding ticket in court on your behalf? Most traffic attorneys are so confident they will be able to keep the points from your license, they offer a money back guarantee. Just be sure you fully understand the terms of the guarantee before you sign anything. Some carry restrictions about the number of tickets on your record or type of violation you received.
In addition to feeling confident that you won't get points if you hire a traffic attorney, there is also a very good chance the ticket will be dismissed altogether and you won't have to pay anything other than the traffic attorney's fee, which should be around $100 for most violations. But make sure you hire a traffic attorney with experience and who will fight for your rights in court.
Sometimes, that means avoiding the "low cost" option and making sure that whoever you hire will exhaust all legal channels to attempt to get your ticket thrown out, and not take the easy way out because it's cheaper. This is where you get caught paying less up front, but more on the "back-end" in higher court costs if you are not careful.
Be smarter than that and ask questions, see what other people are saying (good and bad) about that attorney. In this day and age, there's no excuse for not doing a little bit of homework first.
So with a little bit of effort, you can go back to feeling like you did just prior to getting pulled over, only this time, you might want to check your speed just in case.
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