Prince George’s County Speeding Ticket Lawyer
Drivers in Prince George’s County often treat speed limits more like guidelines than actual legal limits. So, when police issue them a speeding ticket, they may assume they were guilty and must pay the fine. Or they may believe they were not exceeding the limit, but that there is no way to contest findings of the police. But in many cases, it makes sense to fight the charges. When you consult a Prince George’s County speeding ticket lawyer, you could learn your options for protecting your rights and your driving record. A skilled traffic attorney with experience defending against traffic offenses could help you reach a result that is much more cost effective in the long run than paying the citation without a challenge.
The Consequences of a Speeding Ticket
Without a doubt, the easiest course of action when issued a speeding ticket is to pay the fine and hope insurance rates will not go up too much. However, it is important to remember that paying a ticket is an admission of guilt. This creates a record of a moving violation on a driver’s record.
If that driver should appear in court regarding an alleged violation in the future, having a prior offense on the record could it more likely that the driver would appear guilty of other violations. Moreover, if too many violations are accumulated, the driver could be in danger of having a license revoked or suspended.
In addition, the violation will cause insurance rates to rise for a substantial period of time. This factor alone often makes it more cost effective to hire a diligent Prince George’s County speeding ticket lawyer to fight the charges than to pay the fines and suffer the consequences.
Many Speed Limits May Apply
Speed limits on a particular road may change at frequent intervals, particularly if the road is under construction. Often it can be difficult to determine the applicable limit, because drivers need to be aware of the posted limit, limits for certain zones such as school zones, and the default speed limit for places where no limit is posted.
Those default speed limits set in Md. Code Ann., Transp. §21-801.1 are:
- On undivided highways in residential districts, 30 miles per hour
- On highways in business districts, 30 miles per hour
- On divided highways in residential districts, 35 miles per hour
- On undivided highways in other districts, 50 miles per hour
- On divided highways in other districts, 55 miles per hour
In addition, although posted speed limits may be different, the limit may not exceed 55 miles per hour on a non-interstate highway or 70 miles per hour on an interstate highway.
Driving Too Fast for Conditions
In addition to the absolute speed limits established by posted signs or state law, police may also stop drivers who they believe to be driving too fast for the current road conditions. This means a driver may be ticketed for speeding even without exceeding the speed limit.
The statute creating this offense is found in Md. Code Ann., Trans. §21-801. Specifically, drivers are prohibited from operating at a speed which is not “reasonable and prudent under the conditions” when considering potential as well as actual dangers present on the road.
How a Prince George’s County Speeding Ticket Attorney Can Help
If you have been issued a speeding ticket, you owe it to yourself to learn how to protect your rights and find out the options for fighting the charges. In a free consultation, a Prince George’s County speeding ticket lawyer could explain potential defense strategies and potential outcomes.
When it comes to traffic tickets, the police want you to believe you have no choices, but in fact, you do. To learn what may be possible to achieve in your case, call now for a consultation.