Traffic ticket? Our dedicated traffic-defense site, racineticket.com, handles speeding, CDL violations, reckless driving, and license suspensions across Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth counties.
One of the most common ways of breaking the law is speeding. We’ve all done it. You hit the snooze button one too many times. Your kiddo forgot their backpack and you had to go back to retrieve it. You’re on the freeway, trying to keep up with the flow of traffic. Or you’re just in the mood to put your foot down. Sooner or later, it catches up to you, and you get a speeding ticket. Now what?
It happens
First of all, don’t be surprised. Speeding is the most ticketed traffic offense in Wisconsin. (A related charge is ‘unreasonable and imprudent speed’ which basically means driving too fast for conditions, such as ice or a blizzard, or even heavy fog.) There are a lot of factors to consider when dealing with a speeding ticket. There is the amount of the fine, which is normally listed on the ticket itself. Of course, there are also associated court costs that are completely separate from the fine you’ll be paying. It all adds up, and you can pay in the hundreds of dollars by the time you are done. You’ll also have demerit points assessed against your driver’s license. If you receive too many, it can cause you to lose your license for a period of time, and can also impact your insurance premiums.
Here’s a quick look at the point system as it relates to speeding:
1-10 mph over the limit: 3 points 11-19 mph over the limit: 6 points 20 mph or more over the limit: 6 points Driving too fast for weather conditions: 4 points
These points will be noted on your driving record. If you accumulate 12 or more points within 12 months, your license will be suspended. Since it’s possible to receive 6 points for one ticket, it’s very easy to make it to the 12 point limit with a year. (And these are just speeding tickets. There are a lot of other things you can receive a ticket for, sometimes simultaneously.) License suspension times depend upon how many total demerit points you have:
12-16 points: 2-month suspension 17-22 points: 4-month suspension 23-30 points: 6-month suspension Over 30 points: 1-year suspension`
Lawyer up for Speeding?
While you can simply pay the fine and move on with your life, it will show as a guilty plea and conviction on your record. Points will still be held against your license even if the fine is paid in full. Is it really worth taking the chance of accumulating points and losing your license, when you consider how important it is to be able to get to work, school, or the store? Do you really want to depend on public transportation in the middle of a frigid Wisconsin winter?
Hiring an experienced speeding attorney at Cafferty and Scheidegger S.C. is the smart way to go. We can handle it all for you from start to finish. Our team has in-depth knowledge of traffic law. The lawyers at Cafferty & Scheidegger will do their best to get your fine and points reduced. They can directly negotiate with the prosecutor for you. You may not even need to appear in court. And they will keep you informed every step of the way.
Speeding Resources:
Wisconsin’s point system: DMV Link