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Should I Pay My Speeding Ticket?

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It happens. You’re running late for work and you don’t realize you’re pressing down on the gas as the numbers on your speedometer tick up. Blue lights come out of nowhere, and you’re faced with a speeding ticket. Some luck. While you might be inclined to just pay the ticket and get it over with, take a moment to consider the implications. Paying a speeding ticket has the same effect as entering a guilty plea, so it is important to be mindful of the possible consequences.

If you were speeding 14 miles per hour or fewer over the speed limit, this ticket will not result in any points on your license and will not be reported to the Department of Driver Services. If you were speeding over 14 mph above the speed limit, but less than 19 mph over, your ticket is considered a “super speeder” ticket, and entering a plea to that will result in 2 points on your license, the ticket is reported to DDS, and DDS assesses an additional $200 fine. Speeding 19-23 mph over the speed limit results in 3 points, the ticket is reported to DDS, and you are hit with the $200 fine from DDS. 24-33 mph over is 4 points, along with the other penalties outlined above, and speeding 34 mph or more over the speed limit results in 6 points, the ticket is reported, and you get the additional $200 fine.

Points on your license can have an adverse impact on the cost of your insurance, and getting 15 or more points within a 24 month period can result in a license suspension. If you are under 21, there may be additional penalties to paying speeding tickets. Before you pay that ticket and move on, make sure you understand the risks involved in doing so. We can help you negotiate reductions with the solicitor to help you get the best possible outcome when you are stuck with a speeding ticket.

If you have been charged with speeding, it is important to understand your options. We want to make sure you are educated and empowered throughout the criminal justice process. Give us a call for a free consultation at 404-581-0999. Written by Attorney Katherine A. Edmonds.

License Suspension & Points

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Help! My license is suspended from having too many points.

The State of Georgia will suspend your license if you get too many traffic tickets. In fact, the suspension by the Department of Driver Services is automatic. Most people do not know there license has been suspended for accumulating too many points until it is too late. By simply paying your speeding and other traffic tickets, you are pleading guilty and the points are automatically assessed to your driver’s record. It is important to speak with an attorney to attend the court date whenever you receive a traffic ticket in order to avoid this from happening, and to avoid the points from racking up. If 15 points are put onto your record in a 24 month period, the license suspension is automatic. It is a one year suspension.

More About Points

              Points for traffic tickets range from 1 point to 6 points. For example, texting while driving is 1 point, whereas passing a school bus is 6 points. Speeding varies on the point scale depending on how fast you were going over the speed limit. So if over two years, you are pulled over and you either were convicted in court, or simply paid the fine ahead of time, and the amount of points reached 15 in a two year period, your license will be suspended. This suspension can be anywhere from one year to three years depending on how many times you have received this type of suspension.

A Special Warning

              Be aware that the 15 point limit applies to drivers over the age of 18. If you are under 18, accumulating just FOUR points in a 12 month period will suspend your license. This means that just one speeding ticket could suspend a younger driver’s license, and no permit would be available in that situation. An attorney can help in these situations negotiate something that would not have this affect.   

Am I eligible for a permit of any kind?

YES. If this is the first time in five years you have received this type of license suspension, you are in fact eligible for a limited permit. DDS will issue a limited permit immediately upon receiving a defensive driving course and a $210 reinstatement fee in addition to the $25 permit fee. This limited permit would allow you to drive to work, medical appointments, and other limited circumstances.

              If a points suspension occurs again within another 24 month period, within 5 years of the first one, the suspension is actually a full three years. However, just as in the first case, you can get a limited permit with a defensive driving course and a higher reinstatement fee.

Call us today!

              If you have been given a traffic ticket and want to know the affect it will have on your ability to drive or how your insurance may be affected, call the Peach State Lawyer attorneys and you will have the opportunity to speak with a knowledgeable attorney for a free consultation. 404-581-0999

Aggressive Driving Attorneys in Georgia

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by Mary Agramonte

Georgia uses a point system to categorize different types of traffic tickets. Traffic offenses range from 1 point all the way up to 6 points. 6 point offenses are considered the most serious, have the harshest penalties, and are the most likely to land you in jail facing high fines and even a suspended license.

Georgia treats the offense of Aggressive Driving as a 6 point offense, meaning it is considered a very serious offense in Georgia courts. Under Georgia law, a person commits the offense of Aggressive Driving when he or she operates any motor vehicle with the intent to annoy, harass, intimidate, injure, or obstruct another person. For example, if you are overtaking and passing someone with that intent, then you can be charged with Aggressive Driving. Similarly, if you are “tailgating” someone by following them very closely, then you can be charged with Aggressive Driving. In Georgia, you can be cited or arrested for Aggressive Driving if an officer observes you commit an act of road rage or if someone on the road calls 911 to report it.

Aggressive Driving has harsh penalties, and because of that you need the best Aggressive Driving Attorneys in Atlanta on your side fighting for you and your freedom. Aggressive Driving is considered a High and Aggravated Misdemeanor. This means that the maximum penalty can be a $5,000 fine (which ends up being much higher with the additional court costs and fees), and can land you in jail for up to 12 months. This is all in addition to the 6 points it will add to your driver’s license , which is then reported to your car insurance company, which can result in significantly higher premiums.

If you are under 21, an Aggressive Driving conviction will automatically suspend your license. Even if you are over 21 years old, the Aggressive Driving charge can still suspend your license depending on how many other tickets you have had in the past two years. Additionally, if you are arrested on scene for Aggressive Driving, then this will appear on your criminal history forever, unless the case is won with the help of knowledgeable Atlanta criminal defense attorneys.

Get the legal help you need. There are defenses available to those charged with Aggressive Driving in Georgia, but you need experienced criminal defense attorneys on your side to protect your freedom, your wallet, and your future. Call us today for a FREE CONSULTATION at 404-581-0999.