how do i deal with a speeding ticket?

Question

im turning 17 this febuary, and last night i got a speeding ticket for doing 57 in a 40 zone. i was coming down a huge hill somewhere in sandy, made a left and almost crapped my pants when i saw the lights. im not sure where he clocked me from, but it WAS a big hill, a very dark night and i was too pissed off about other things and trying to get the windshield to defog that i probably didnt notice how fast i was goin. i have 4 days left till i have to contact the court and i really dont think i was going that fast! how do i go about contesting this? how do i tell my parents? how do i keep this off my insurance? of course, my dad will FLIP, make me pay the fine, and sacrifice my job money for f*** knows how long to pay off insurance and everything!! (just when i was about to invest in a radar detector) ...so now im broke, trying to figure out what to tell him. What do i do????!?!!

Answer 1

you have to pay the ticket no matter what but what you can do is request a court date when you get there find the officer and nicely tell him how sorry you are and you understand the offense and ask him nicely if you can avoid the points and pay the ticket you learned your lesson and your very sorry just avoiding points at your age will save you money in the long run on your insurance alone now if you were a smart *** when he pulled you over you deserve the ticket and the points and dont even bother asking him nothing because he will just laugh back in your face .........good luck

Answer 2

Your ticket should include information about payment and if you can take a defensive driving course to reduce the amount of the ticket. You don't have to tell your parents, but they may find out if your insurance gets raised or more info on the ticket comes in the mail and they get to it first. I did defensive driving for my first ticket, so it didn't affect my insurance. If I were you, I would read over any info on the ticket, give the courthouse in your area a call, and ask some questions about how you can postpone payment until you have completely defensive driving. Otherwise, come up with the amount you owe in 4 days, and pay it off. Also, I have owned a radar detector before---and I still ended up with two speeding tickets.

Answer 3

First, TAKE A DEEP BREATH (and let it out)! IT IS NOT AS BAD AS YOU THINK!

Second, tell your parents. (I am a mom and HATE surprises!)

Third, IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD DEFENSIVE DRIVING in the past year, you can probably claim NO CONTEST and get off taking a defensive driving course. It does not go on insurance if you are allowed this option.

If it goes on insurance, you did the crime, you pay the fine. Stay on the "right" side of the law for 3 years and it will come off Dad's insurance. In the meantime, plan on forking out the $$. Count it as a learning experience & be glad it was not an accident (your fault or not.)

Third, next time you are on a BIG hill, put the car in low, or if a manual drive, gear down. It will slow your car down.

Lastly, SweetRedBeachLvr and I are from the same state. I can give you my point of view as a mom. Sweet Red can talk from current past experience and is probably closer in age to you. (I am double-nickle.)

HINT: If there are 2 cars breaking the same law of driving (i.e speeding) and one driver is an adult - the other a teen, police will stop the teen first. (Told to me by local PD.)

This ticket will not keep your parents from loving you. LET THEM KNOW!

Answer 4

The concept is choice consequence. You make choices, and then there are consequences to those choices. You chose to speed down the hill, and the consequence is you got the ticket. How do you now hide this from your parents? You don't. How do you keep it off your insurance? You don't. If you are found guilty it will lead to a fine, points, and increased rates.

Might I suggest instead of investing in a radar detector that you slow down. Don't let dark nights, window fog and your mood distract you from your job, which is to drive safely and not over the speed limit.

Tell them now, perhaps they will have some advice for your court appearance.

Good luck.

Answer 5

It won't necessarily cost you more to contest it. Your parents might of course find out because it takes more work. I don't know how different it might be wherever you are (sounds like Oregon?) but in Texas, you show up for the first hearing and you announce if you'd like to contest it or not. You don't need a lawyer for that part. Say you want to contest it and ask for a jury (not a judge) as you have more chance for the jury to show sympathy (although hate to say it but teenagers may not get as much as adults). Then you'll be scheduled for a court date (this is where you'll need a lawyer but you don't HAVE to have one-given your age, you might check into one though). You show up and if the arresting offer shows up, you'll be on the docket but only the oldest case gets the jury. If you're not the oldest case with both parties present, you will be rescheduled. If you're lucky enough to show up and the arresting officer does not, the case will usually be dismissed. If you bother to take it this far, do not back down when they try to let you out of it with a reduced fine (they will offer that to you every time you come in-don't take it.)

Now, you are definitely guilty and I hope you will drive more carefully from now on (reckless teenagers cause more accidents than anyone else, you know-be one of the responsible ones).

Answer 6

You could contest it based on the accuracy of the radar, if that is what he used to clock your speed. Of course, to do that, you have to get the maintenance records for that radar gun.

Most likely his speed is accurate and you will end up losing. I would recommend that you go to a defensive driving school if possible. That way you don't get the points (or whatever your state uses) on your record and don't pay insurance. Sign up for it NOW, as the court may not allow you to do so once the court date is past.

The other benefit is that you will learn how dangerous it is to speed at night, downhill, on a wet road with a fogged up window.

Answer 7

Are any of your friends' parents lawyers? Generally, a lawyer can negotiate a speeding ticket down to a parking ticket. You pay the fine, but not points on your license.

A parking ticket is just a fine, not a moving violation so your dad won't know.

Answer 8

ok man bottom line is the hell with thesse people talking crap to u i mean i have heard the excuses and made em all but since i started driving trucks 15 years ago i have 1,500,000 accident and ticket free miles i'd fight it but the other allternative is pay it get charged with 17 mph over and possibly reckless driving but hey if u pay just remember to take those courses and i am noone to tell u what to do but hey man you and other teen's like youself are our future i have seen too many speed demons splattered on the road so hey man just slow it down there's nothing worth your life ~trucker~

Answer 9

Go to the courthouse and pay the fine. Its the only way your fam isnt gonna find out about it.

If you contest, there will be stuff mailed to your house. I know. I have gotten ALOT of tickets, and this is the only way to deal with this and get the results you want. Suck it up and pay the fine BEFORE the due date(4 days).

Answer 10

u can take defensive driving courses so it comes of your record and doesnt higher your insurance. You probably have to go to court for your ticket.. my sister had to... there you can plead guilty or not guilty and argue all the other stuff. good luck and drive safely