Other ways an officer can clock your speed are using a timing device such as a stopwatch or VASCAR, or following behind you clocking your speed using their speedometer. But, in order to properly pace a vehicle, the officer must take certain steps. document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Traffic Violations Providing evidence, testimony and if appropriate, witnesses The opportunity to be represented by an attorney Testimony by the officer who issued the ticket Cross-examination of the officer by your attorney Losing the opportunity to plead outright to lower charges If served, set a hearing, pleading "Not responsible." Disprove the plaintiff (private company) in court; win. Legal Help for Moving Violations, Parking and Traffic Tickets - Speeding Tickets: 1/2 mile from my house I was clocked (Robic stopwatch) doing 49.1 MPH in a 35 zone (3.37 sec over Speeding Ticket Information (Stopwatch) - Pennsylvania In order to fight the traffic ticket, the driver must appear before a judge. An Ohio appeals court issued an interesting decision the other day on the issue of pacing. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 106,613 times. Log-in to DoNotPay and find the Speeding Ticket product. Join 1,972,984 Americans who searched for Car Insurance Rates: In Pennsylvania, you must submit your plea of not guilty to the traffic court handling your case, within 10 days of receiving the traffic citation, if you wish to fight your ticket. Fighting speeding tickets in Pennsylvania can be easier than you think if you enlist the help of DoNotPay. If you do end up accepting the speeding ticket, its crucial to compare. Pay attention to your shirt color, any small dents or cracks in your car, and any noticeable physical characteristics of the officer. Be polite, dont argue, and try to be unremarkable. But you do have an option you can fight your speeding ticket. Fighting with the police officer never increases your chances of leniency. Traffic school is one of the best options for most people who get a speeding ticket, so you should at least check to see if it's an option where you live. The radar will release a radio wave at one frequency. That's it! You can get certain records at the DMV that can help you with your case. The penalties you'll face after a guilty verdict will depend on the severity of the traffic charges brought against you. Look up your states motor vehicle code, carefully read the speed law you allegedly broke and prepare to argue that you didnt. Many speeding tickets result from the police officer following or "pacing" a suspected speeder and using his or her own speedometer to estimate the suspect's speed. Maryland Uniform Traffic Citation Payment Kiosk. Call 855-868-1675. If ANY of the rules below are not followed, a driver will have a solid case against the speeding ticket. Anytime you are considering contesting a speeding ticket or traffic offense, you should talk to an experienced traffic attorney soon after you get the ticket. Required fields are marked *. Traffic attorney explains 20 ways to defend yourself if you have a speeding ticket. You'll receive an appeal letter that contains state vehicle codes to boost your case. Fighting a speeding ticket is about 3 goals: keeping your driving record clear. How to Contest NYC Speeding Camera Tickets and Win. Whether you live in the PA city where you received the ticket or want to commute back to the area, pay for your speeding ticket in Pennsylvania in person by going to the court stated on your ticket. If convicted of aggravated assault by vehicle in an active construction zone, drivers can receive up to 2 additional years of jail term. 3 points. You have the right to remain silent. However, an appeal is not a new trial with new witnesses. Immediately after the officer gives you the written citation, make sure all the information is correct, including anything identifying you or describing your car. If there's anyone who can verify you were not speeding, call them in to testify. Over the phone by calling (800) 492-2656. For more tips from our Legal co-author, like how to prepare for your speeding ticket trial, read on! Take note of your precise location and try to get an approximate sense of where the alleged violation took place. Speeding Ticket Pennsylvania - LAWS.com - Cars This will give you more time to build your case. Traffic tickets usually contain instructions on how to contest or enter a 'not-guilty' plea. Fighting an Aircraft Speeding Ticket: A Few Potential Defenses The True Cost of a Speeding Ticket The actual cost of the ticket should not be your primary concern. If you are facing a speeding ticket or traffic offense that could threaten your license, you may choose to contest the ticket and force the police and Pennsylvania prosecutors office to prove that you committed the traffic offense you were charged with beyond a reasonable doubt. Motorists must enter a 'not-guilty' plea within ten days of being issued to fight a Pennsylvania traffic ticket. Note that paying your speeding ticket in PA is considered an admission of guilt. A lack of prosecution witness is an easy way to get a ticket dismissed. Pennsylvania Speeding Tickets and Penalties - Driving Laws Persons who choose to dispute the ticket may need to make an appearance in court to enter this plea. Doing this, the officer can immediately see that you're not an immediate threat, and his stress level is reduced. If the Pennsylvania judge decides you're not guilty of the traffic violations, congrats! Assigning Editor | Auto insurance, home insurance, other insurance. 1. If you commit serious traffic violations pa, you will face fines that are heavier penalties. Subscribe to stay in the loop & on the road! If he asks how fast you were going, you do not have to answer the question. If you would like to request a hearing within 30 days of the date of your Notice of Violation, you have two options. Theres nothing fun about the feeling you get when those blue lights flash behind you on the highway. When you receive a speeding ticket or traffic citation, you always have the option to pay the fine and accept the points. How to beat a Photo Speeding Ticket - MyTicketDismissed Speeding ticket fines in PAcan range from around $45-over $100. Even if you were clocked at 26 miles per hour, the ticket is under $50. Try the waterworks. Therefore, you will incur the cost of the speeding ticket, and the PA Department of Transportation may add points to your driving record. Here are the 16 top reasons cited for getting out of a speeding ticket, and their rates of success as determined by CarInsurance.com: I'm bringing home hot food and didn't want it to get cold (11% . Our partners compensate us. 1999 - 2023 DMV.ORG. HOW THE POLICE CATCH YOU SPEEDING. You have the right to remain silent. Thankfully, there are successful ways to fight a speeding ticket. You do not want the officer to think you are being hostile or reaching for a weapon. Looking for a lawyer to handle your traffic speeding ticket? Gather information to help successfully dispute the speeding ticket. I've never had an issue until this particular morning, and I assume I was just severely unlucky this day. We offer a quick and easy solution to help you win against unfair speeding tickets without the stress of a court appearance. As per the instructions, I am writing to plead 'not guilty' to this charge. Upload a photo of your speeding ticket. Winning the case will result in a refund of the collateral you have paid and protect your driving record. How Do I Fight a Red Light Camera Ticket in Pennsylvania? This will give you more time to build your case. Pull over as soon as you see the officer's lights and there is a safe spot to do so. The Problem with "Pacing" Suspected Speeders - Riddell Law LLC Your trial will occur within 45 days of the day you enter you plea. Considering the costs, hiring a lawyer is likely worth the money if your ticket is particularly expensive or could result in the loss of your license. Because of this, you need to know EXACTLY what the officer used to measure your speed. Be prepared to use this as your defense if the officer is not present on your court date. You could receive a deferral, in which case typically youll pay a fine and your ticket will be dismissed after a period of time if there are no further offenses. That way you can decide whether to contest the ticket or pay the fine. This will, however, result in the same consequences as pleading guilty. Disputing a speeding ticket on your own requires a lot of time to gather information to increase your chances of winning in court, taking time off work to attend the court hearing, and the hassle of arguing your innocence on the matter. There are also certain traffic offenses that carry their own consequences, such as passing a school bus with red lights flashing (which has an automatic 60-day license suspension). How a speeding ticket is classified depends on several factors. Write down the make, model, license plate and unit number of the officer's car. You're only two minutes away from getting your PA speeding ticketdismissed using these steps: It's really that simple! The state of Pennsylvania bases the amount of your speeding fine on how fast you were going and what the speed limit was in the area where you were caught speeding. Having the appearance moved closer will make fighting the ticket easier for you. You should also get some information on the patrol car regarding any recent repairs or damages to the car. How much trouble depends on your state: You could be arrested or have to pay larger fines, or your license could be suspended. If you are facing an aircraft speeding ticket in the Columbus area, talk to one of our Columbus speeding ticket attorneys about your potential defenses and options. If you recently received a traffic ticket in Pennsylvania, and have the means to prove it was issued. If you are clocked at 11 miles over the speed limit, the fine is $35 plus $2 for each mile greater than 5 over the speed limit. Going to court to contest a speeding ticket or traffic offense may be worthwhile if: Our Pennsylvania traffic attorneys will stand by your side throughout the process of contesting a speeding ticket or traffic violation. In addition to the financial costs of a traffic ticket, you also need to consider the points assessed. A sympathetic officer may be more likely to issue a warning instead of a ticket. If you dont attend the hearing, your license will automatically be suspended until you do. If you ignore it, you may have to pay additional fines and your driver's license can be suspended. How to pay a speeding ticket in Maryland. In other cases, fighting the ticket may be the best option. To do so, the prosecutor will usually call up the officer who issued your citation and ask him a series of questions in an attempt to establish his reliability. Before hiring a lawyer, ask if it will cost you more money to hire a lawyer than if you were to just pay the ticket. As soon as you've entered your plea, begin preparing for trial. You can fight your traffic ticket by scheduling a court hearing. Your email address will not be published. Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you. This is different from most states, which use tiered penalties (e.g. When issued , most people simply pay the lower fine; however, if facing the larger ticket or the accumulation of points will cause your license to be suspended, fighting the ticket may be worthwhile. If you choose to plead guilty to a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania, there are several ways to pay the fine within the deadline stated on your ticket. You can question the issuing officer, including about his or her memory and training with speed-clocking equipment. How a Radar Speeding Ticket Can be Beaten | TrafficViolationLawFirms Trial before a judge. You need to address the ticket and start fighting it right away. How to Fight a Ticket - FindLaw Save Penalties: The penalties for traffic tickets in Ontario can be significant. Stick to questions with short answers and avoid asking why questions. Do not say, "I was going 62 in a 55 zone," for example. Prepare to achieve this goal. If you are under 18 and get more than six points on your license or your Pennsylvania speeding ticket is 26 mph+ over, your PA drivers license will be suspended for 90 days and you'll be required to pass a written test and pay a reinstatement fee to PennDOT. How To Beat a Speeding Ticket? - My Traffic Tickets We use cookies to make wikiHow great. About the author: Lacie Glover is an insurance editor and writer and a NerdWallet authority on insurance. Radar: ONLY State Troopers are permitted to use radar guns to clock a driver's speed. You're only asking questions. The details you wrote down earlier in terms of the incident you were pulled over will come in handy here. Cost money upfront: Youll pay the speeding ticket and any court fees. Ask specifics. You have the right to a court trial with a judge. By using our site, you agree to our. No matter what happens, you must be polite and submissive. Handle this PROMPTLY as your court may only accept continuances submitted within a specific time frame. When you plead not guilty, you're exercising your legal right to present your case before a judge, and implying that you: Review our page on choosing when you should fight a traffic charge for guidance. How to Get Out of a Photo Radar Ticket - Joe Manna You will need to attend a mandatory departmental hearing. YesNo. If you are considering fighting your speeding ticket, we have listed some strategies that might come handy: Show Up & Get Lucky As weird as it might seem, if you show up in the court as decided and the issuing officer doesn't, you'll automatically win without having to do anything at all. Shop our 2023 Best-Of Awards list. Depending on the judge's verdict, there are a variety of consequences to fighting your traffic ticket in Pennsylvania. A traffic lawyer costs between $250 and $350 on average nationally, according to Thumbtack, an online marketplace for service professionals. Call a Traffic Ticket Attorney It makes sense to call someone who does this for a livingwhose job is to fight traffic violations for people like you. Our attorneys can be reached at (614) 361-2804. So how do we make money? % of people told us that this article helped them. return false; The prosecutor/ADA is the individual or team working on behalf of the state to prove your guilt. If you opt to represent yourself, you'll need to have some familiarity with the procedures of Pennsylvania traffic court before fighting your ticket. If you ask for a hearing, plan to make your case and be questioned before a judge. Speeding ticket fines are the same throughout Pennsylvania, and are set based on fast you were going, and what the posted speed limit was: If you were in a work zone at the time you were clocked speeding, your fines will be doubled. Read more. We have helped over 300,000 people with their problems. Speeding tickets have more penalties than just a fine. Luckily, disputing speeding tickets in Pennsylvania is simple with DoNotPay. Make sure you choose a firm who has experience fighting traffic tickets in Pennsylvania. Sit back and relax while we do the work. Check the violation and fines, and make certain that your name, address, vehicle information and license number are all correct. Look up the method the officer used to clock your speed, note its weaknesses and prepare to present them. Melanie Horowitz has skilled attorney that can help you in handling your traffic citations related issues in . If you're searching for an easy way to get out of a speeding ticketin Pennsylvania or any other state, DoNotPay can help. Even when the roads are clear I still hit between 20-25 mph, which I believe is not fast enough to where you are moving too quickly to monitor your surroundings. Fighting a Speeding Ticket | Ontario Speeding Tickets Sometimes, just showing up means you win. The vast majority of speeding tickets are resolved via plea agreement. Call (614) 361-2804. Look out for your traffic ticket issuer's response to discover whether you won! Dispute a red light camera ticket | Services | City of Philadelphia Fighting a Speeding Ticket in Pennsylvania The penalties for a speeding ticket can include fines, points on your record, and a suspended license. Fighting a Speeding Ticket In Texas And Winning! Our opinions are our own. Cost more money long term: After a ticket, your car insurance rates can rise by hundreds of dollars per year. From raising your insurance ratesto staying on your driving recordfor an extended amount of time, getting a PA speeding ticket can cause you more of a headache than just a one-time fine and getting points added to your PA driving record.