We all know the sinking feeling of getting pulled over. Nine out of ten times when an officer approaches you and asks, “do you know why I pulled you over?” the answer is almost always speeding. Speeding tickets can cost you money, points on your license, and potentially even your license.
Knowing the penalties for speeding and the ways to avoid them is essential to protecting your driving rights. Whether you have been pulled over by a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper or an officer from a local township or borough in Chester, Montgomery, or Delaware County, our traffic law attorneys are here to clearly explain your options and fight for a fair resolution to your traffic matter.
The Pennsylvania Point System
The Pennsylvania point system is designed as a guide to track how safely individuals are driving. This point system is monitored by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, police officers, the courts, and auto insurance companies. The point system ranges from zero to 6 points. Points are added to a person’s driving record for specified violations. If a person accumulates six or more points, they may be required to take a safe driving written examination, face a departmental hearing, or even serve a license suspension. For drivers under the age of eighteen, reaching six points or driving twenty-six miles over the posted limit automatically comes with a driving suspension. Every twelve months that a person remains violation free, three points are deducted from their license.
How Points Effect Your Insurance
All drivers in the state of Pennsylvania are required to be insured. When assessing your monthly insurance rates, companies will often pull your driving record to determine how safe of a driver you are. The more points on your license at the time of purchase, the higher your monthly rates will be. Each insurance company varies in how they calculate their rates, with the more serious offenses, such as failure to stop for a bus with flashing red lights, excessive speeding, and driving under the influence, receiving some of the highest rate increases. While it may seem simple to plead guilty and pay a fine, the insurance rate increase could become very costly.
Departmental Hearings and Suspensions
Depending on how fast you were driving, the conditions of the road, and whether you were driving in a construction zone, speeding tickets can range from zero points to five points. If you are cited and found guilty of driving twenty-six to thirty miles per hour over the posted speed limit, you will be given five points on your license. If you are cited and found guilty of driving thirty-one miles or over the posted limit, you will be given 5 points, and must attend a Pennsylvania Department of transportation hearing, where a hearing examiner may set a penalty ranging from driving classes to suspension.
If you have been cited for a speeding ticket or other traffic offense, know your rights, and know the consequences. To find out more please, please call Musi, Merkins, Daubenberger & Clark law firm at 610-891-8806.