Cecil County Speeding Lawyer
While speeding might not be a serious criminal offense in Cecil County, it can lead to a costly ticket and add points to your driving record. In some circumstances, it can even lead to a criminal charge of reckless driving, which is a serious offense. A Cecil County speeding lawyer could help you negotiate the often complicated and confusing legal system for traffic offenses like speeding. Challenging a speeding ticket does not just fight the fine and points you are facing, it also may help reduce the costs of car insurance for years into the future. Consult with a dedicated traffic attorney who understands speeding cases. They could review the circumstances surrounding the accident and work to protect your rights in court.
Speeding in Cecil County
As one would expect, drivers in Cecil County are expected to abide by the posted speed limit on the roadways. Less expected, though, is the fact that Cecil County uses an absolute speed limit, which means that speeding tickets can come for breaking the speed limit by even one mile per hour. Any speed in excess of the speed limit increases the cost of a speeding ticket and the number of points added to a driver’s record.
If the excess speed amounts to a “wanton or willful disregard for the safety” of others, though, a driver might be charged with reckless driving rather than given a simple speeding ticket. Regardless of the circumstances leading to a speeding violation, a person should seek legal counsel from a skilled Cecil County attorney.
Fines and Driving Points for Speeding
As a traffic attorney can further explain, Cecil County uses a tiered system for assigning fines and driving points to speeding drivers. This system is based on the difference between the posted speed limit and the driver’s speed.
For many instances of alleged speeding, drivers face a ticket of between $80 and $160, as well as the addition of one or two points to their driving record. If a driver goes more than 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limits, though, it can lead to a ticket in excess of $290, as well as five points added to their driver’s record.
Accumulating Too Many Points Leads to Consequences
Accruing too many driving points has two important consequences: The threat of a license suspension or revocation, and an increase in car insurance payments. These hidden costs of a speeding ticket may make it essential to hire a Cecil County speeding attorney.
License Suspensions and Revocations
Drivers in Cecil County who get eight points on their record within the span of two years will have their license suspended by the Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles. Drivers who accrue 12 points in the same time frame will have their license revoked.
Even before hitting these totals, though, there are consequences: Drivers with between five and seven driving points on their record will have to take a driving course. If they do not complete the course, their license can be suspended. Even after completing the course, though, the prior points are not wiped away – they still need to expire in two years.
Car Insurance Premiums
A blemish on a driver’s record also gets reported to their car insurance company. Once news of driving points is received, the insurance company is likely to consider the driver more of a risk on the road, justifying an increase in their car insurance premium.
In this way, speeding tickets in Cecil County can quickly turn into hundreds or thousands of dollars in increased car insurance premiums over the course of the next few years. Therefore, it may be ideal to enlist the help of an accomplished defense attorney.
Reach Out to a Cecil County Speeding Attorney
Speeding tickets are not a light matter. They can prove costly over the long run, and can quickly throw your right to drive into jeopardy.
By hiring a Cecil County speeding lawyer, you can take action to prevent this from happening by challenging the ticket in court. Contrary to popular belief, hiring a speeding attorney in Cecil County is often worth it once you consider the long-term costs of car insurance and the stress of avoiding a ticket that would put you over the point limit and lead to a license suspension. Contact our firm today to get started.