How to Handle a Speeding Ticket

Paying the fine for a speeding ticket and getting on with life is the approach many drivers take, but it is important to understand that the fine is only part of the costs involved. "Don't just mail in your ticket with a payment for the fine," cautions Colorado attorney David L. Cleveland. Considering a few options first can "save some money, save points on a driving record and save the cost of increased premiums on auto insurance," he says.

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  Decide whether contesting the ticket holds any realistic chance of getting the charge dismissed or yielding a "not guilty" verdict. Look for errors on the ticket that might render it invalid. Cleveland notes that errors involving "what, when and where" as entered on a citation are flaws that can get a ticket dismissed. The wrong charge, wrong location or the wrong date of the offense mistakenly entered, says Cleveland, offer the best chance for getting a ticket thrown out. Hire an attorney if fighting the ticket on the basis of technicalities is the action chosen. Self-representation rarely works because most people lack the necessary legal knowledge to be successful alone.

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  Appear in court on the date and time specified on the speeding ticket. Don't just pay the fine and forget it. Options are available through going to court that can save money even if fighting a speeding ticket is not the plan. Here legal representation is not a necessity since the options available can be taken advantage of by the individual.

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  Ask the prosecutor about eligibility for deferred adjudication, an option in many jurisdictions. With deferred adjudication, as explained at the website of the Municipal Court of Irving, Texas, disposition of the charge is delayed for ninety days. This is a probationary period for the defendant. If he does not receive another traffic ticket during the probationary period, the ticket is dismissed.

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  Ask the prosecutor about eligibility for attendance at a court-approved driving safety class, another common traffic court option. Successful completion of a court-approved driver improvement class can get a speeding ticket dismissed, according to DMV.org.

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  Choose the preferred option from those available. With either deferred disposition or driver improvement class attendance, expect to pay court costs and fees equal to the established fine for the violation. The benefits of getting a dismissal are: the violation will not appear on a driving record, no points will be assessed against a license, and the violation will not be available to an insurer as justification for raising an auto insurance premium.