Impact of Speeding Tickets on Your Drivers License

If you’ve been pulled over before, you know how scary it can be to have a police officer staring you down and calling you out on your faults. Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is, the problems really begin after being pulled over: you have to pay fines, go to court – and in some cases, you might lose your license or go to jail. Keep reading about the potential impact of a speeding ticket on your license so you can know what to expect if you are pulled over.

What Are the Penalties for Speeding Tickets?

Usually, no matter what the circumstances, your speeding ticket will come with a hefty fine – usually over a few hundred dollars, since they are calculated by adding a base amount with a fee totaled per mile you were over the speed limit. This does not often mean that you will lose your drivers license, but it can keep you from wanting to drive again.

Keep in mind that if you take a ticket to court and contest it, even if you had a driving problem, you usually can reduce your fine if not make it disappear.

What Will Happen to My Drivers License?

In most cases, you shouldn’t have to worry about your drivers license unless you don’t pay your speeding tickets. If you can’t afford them, or if you are having trouble understanding your tickets, don’t just let them sit there. You can lose your drivers license if you do not pay your tickets.

This usually happens after a long period of not paying your tickets, however. If you can’t afford the tickets, you can usually take a chance to go to traffic school and pay a largely reduced fine. You might have to pay a lawyer to help you, but you might save another few hundred dollars in the long run.

You may also get points on your license after a speeding ticket. The number of points you get is based on how fast you were going and varies by state. For example, in some states, if you were going 10 miles over the speeding limit, you may get 2-4 points. Too many points can also result in the loss of a drivers license. Points generally remain on your license for at least a year, and in some cases, longer. They add up- so if you get multiple speeding tickets, you may get 2-4 points each time.

In addition, if your speeding was outrageous and reckless- to the point of endangerment- then you may get so many points on your license that you lose the license entirely.

Impact of Speeding Tickets on Your Drivers License

This generally means that you can lose your drivers license as a result of speeding tickets if:

You don't pay your fines
You get too many points on your license as a result of driving extremely recklessly or getting too many tickets.

You might also notice that your insurance will not be happy either – they may not opt to renew your policy, which can make your life as an uninsured, unlicensed driver even more difficult. Your best bet is to avoid speeding if at all possible, to contest any tickets that you do get over time, and to take tickets to court that you cannot afford.

Getting Help

If you find yourself facing a speeding ticket or at risk of losing your license as a result of too many speeding tickets, consider contacting an experienced attorney who can assist you. Your attorney may be able to help you plea bargain your case in traffic court or contest your ticket or otherwise takes steps to protect your drivers license.

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