A single speeding ticket can cost you hundreds of dollars in fines and add points to your license—points that can count against you and increase your chances of the courts suspending your license after too many infractions. Though speeding tickets may not seem as severe as facing a criminal charge like driving under the influence, they may still be worth fighting, and an experienced South Carolina traffic ticket attorney can help you do just that. Before you go to court, it’s helpful to understand how to fight your ticket. Let’s dive in.
Figure Out How You’ll Plead
Before you can start fighting your ticket, you’ll need to make a plea. With speeding tickets, you’ll either need to plead guilty or not guilty. If you plead guilty, you’ll be expected to pay any associated fines and accept the possibility of increased insurance premiums once the points hit your license. If you’re planning on pleading guilty, you probably won’t need to go to court. You can just pay your ticket and move on.
If you plead not guilty, you’re willing and ready to contest any fines the court wants you to pay and indicate that you’re not willing to accept points on your license without a fight. Once you decide to challenge the ticket, you’ll be able to schedule your court date.
How to Fight Your Ticket
Pleading not guilty means you’ll need to come up with a strategy to fight your ticket. Your South Carolina traffic ticket attorney can help you create a strategy and can represent you in court. Here are some of the more common defenses you may be able to use in your case.
Question the Officer’s Observations
You may be able to contest or question the officer’s observations about your speeding by showing that conditions or traffic made it virtually impossible for them to get an accurate estimate of your speed. This is especially helpful if the officer pulled you over without checking your speed with a radar gun or other monitoring equipment. Your attorney will help you decide if this method is right for your case.
Challenge the Accuracy of the Speed Tracking Device
Speed tracking devices almost always have a margin of error when detecting your speed. You may be able to challenge the accuracy of the device and show that the device didn’t track your speed correctly. This may require requesting the device’s maintenance and calibration records—something your South Carolina traffic ticket attorney can do on your behalf. They’ll also be able to interpret the records to help you determine if this is a viable defense.
Argue Necessity
If you had a clear reason for speeding like racing to the hospital or another emergency, it may be enough to get the ticket dismissed. These circumstances may count as necessary actions to preserve the safety and well-being of yourself or the people you care about. This can be difficult to prove, and your South Carolina traffic ticket attorney can help you compile the necessary evidence and make your case in court.
Point Out Mitigating Circumstances
You may also be able to argue that there were mitigating circumstances that should be factored into any fines or points that you may face. This may include circumstances like:
- Being unfamiliar with the area
- Unclear speed limit postings
- Officers tailing you to encourage you to speed
These circumstances may not be enough to get your ticket dismissed, but they may help reduce the severity of the punishments you’re facing.
Schedule a Consultation
If you’ve gotten a speeding ticket, you may be able to fight the ticket in court. But it’s always best to do so with an experienced South Carolina traffic ticket attorney on your side. At Truslow & Truslow, our team is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.