Speeding tickets are an annoying inconvenience. But they pose more than just a disruption to your day. They carry heavy fines, can add points to your driving record, and can force you to pay more for car insurance.
Worse, if you’re caught doing it often enough, the state of Florida may label you a habitual traffic offender. At that point, your license can be suspended or revoked.
So what should you do if you’re pulled over by a police officer and charged with breaking the posted speed limit? Following are your 3 options.
Option #1: Attend Traffic School
You can elect to attend a certified Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course. Such courses, along with the schools that offer them, are regulated by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV).
A certified course is four hours in length and imposes a fee. The upside is that no points are added to your driving record stemming from your speeding conviction.
Note that you must complete the course within 60 days of receiving your ticket (select Florida counties allow 90 days). Also note that you can only take advantage of this option once in a 12-month period and five times during your life.
Option #2: Pay The Associated Fine
Most people choose this option. It’s simple and allows them to get on with their lives without further inconvenience.
But there are downsides. First, fines for speeding are steep in Florida. You may end up paying nearly $400 depending on how fast you were caught driving.
A second downside is that points will be added to your driving record. These can stick around for years. The more you accumulate, the greater their impact; they can cause your insurance rates to surge upward and even imperil your driving privileges.
Option #3: Fight The Ticket
Fighting a speeding ticket may seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. The most important thing you can do is hire an experienced Florida traffic ticket lawyer to defend your case.
A seasoned attorney may be able to reduce the charges, lessen the number of points added to your record, or get your case dismissed. The result is a cleaner driving record. And that yields benefits that pay dividends year after year.
Skubiak & Rivas have more than 60 years of combined experience in defending clients against all types of traffic violation charges, including speeding tickets. If you were cited for speeding, contact our Florida traffic ticket attorneys today. Call 407-894-4449 or complete this short form for a free, private consultation.
