Did You Just Get A Speeding Ticket In A School Zone? 3 Times Its Worth Hiring An Attorney To Help You Fight It

There is nothing worse than seeing those flashing lights and realizing that you have crossed into a speed zone. With many school zones, speeding during an active time can quickly escalate your ticket from a minor infraction to a major one. Depending upon where you live, you may face penalties such as increased fines that are meant to deter people from making unsafe decisions when children may be present and walking without adult supervision. Getting a school zone ticket may leave you wondering if it is better just to accept it or rally to defend yourself. After all, going to court can feel like a hassle, and you might wonder if a judge would even care about what really happened. If any of these three situations apply to you, then you may be better off hiring an attorney rather than just paying the fine. 

1. You Need to Keep It Off Your Driving Record

Tickets on your driving record can turn into a major expense. This is especially true if a school zone ticket causes your insurance rates to spike. Depending upon your career, you may also need to maintain a clean driving record to keep your job, such as if you need to drive a company vehicle. If pleading guilty could ruin your career or cause you to pay thousands of dollars extra for insurance, then you may find that working with a speeding ticket law firm is the more affordable option to handing a school zone speeding ticket.

2. You Have a Justifiable Reason for Speeding

There may have been a very good explanation for what happened. Were you trying to get a pregnant mother or elderly person to the hospital? If so, then you might have had your mind on saving a life and missed the active school zone. You might also be able to prove that the officer stopped you while you were already in the zone, but it had just turned on. You might also be able to help others in your community by demonstrating that the school zone warning sign does not have lights or is obscured from view by a large tree. 

3. You're Facing Heavy Penalties, Such as Jail Time

The lower speed posted for a school zone makes it easy to look like you were going way over the line. Some communities have laws in place, such as an instant arrest, if someone goes double the speed limit. You may also see the classification of your crime escalated, which means facing higher penalties such as fines that reach into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Working with a speeding attorney can help you to potentially lower the charges so that you aren't forced to do time for one careless mistake.