What is the best approach to dealing with a speeding ticket?

I got a speeding ticket last week. It's so angering, b/c I'm always a careful driver and I was only 7 months away from having a crystal-clean perfect driving record, which would have drastically lowered my car insurance. I can't afford the increase in my insurance rates. I'm thinking of pleading not guilty, then when I get to court, quick change my plea to "guilty" if the cop negotiates a deal with me. By the way, I live in a PA suburb outside Philly.

Is this the best approach? What is the best way to handle this problem, without having my insurance rates go sky-high? Should I offer the judge to go to driving school in exchange for no points on my record?(Is this even an option?)I am willing to pay a higher fine if it means it will not have points to affect my driving record, since a higher fine will still probably be less money than the increase that my insurance rates will experience over the next 3yrs. What should I do? I don't think I can afford a lawyer...how much are they?
Additional Details
realnj97, that sounds like a good idea. I was thinking it would be like that, where I could get out of the points and insurance rate consequences if I pay a heftier fine. I wouldn't mind paying $300-400 more, because that'll end up being less $ than the increase in my insurance premiums over the next 3yrs!

To the others: Are you SURE that my rates won't go up for just one ticket? Almost 3yrs ago, I had a very small "accident"(scratched someone's car pulling out of a parking space). It costed $1560 to repair, only b/c it was a new car(the damage was very minimal)...that is only $60 above PA's legal cutoff for the accident damage that insurance co's can use against you. Yet they raised my rates $300/6-mo. period over a 3-yr time, that means I'm paying out $1800 extra over 3yrs for an "accident" that costed less than that(only $1560).So now you see my concern about the ins. rates.Oh and it was the only thing on my record, other than a 6-10mile-over-limit ticket from 3yrs ago.

The Mr. Pine

Call them liars and alcoholics. Unfair tatgeting. Get an attorney for this.

Gogo

Many a time this happens to young drivers. My advice? Well, I recommend NOT trying to make a black deal with the cop, because then you will get your buttocks burned and jail might even be an alternative. Anyway, this is what you do... in this order:
-call up your insurance company and ask them if they will lower your insurance rate... negotiate-- doesn't have to work
-go to court or whatever, and pay your fine
-take a deep breath
-call up your insurance company, and talk to the same person you talked with before-- ask them statistical data, and when they ask you if there is anything more they can do for you, tell them about this... and tell them about your clean record.

that is your best shot. good luck!

driving school is also a good alternative

belen2499

Where I live, the officer who issued the ticket has to show up in court when you do. If he doesn't show, the judge drops the ticket charges. Personally, if you were speeding I would plead guilty and ask for community service or go to traffic school so it won't go on your record and increase your insurance rates. If you plead not guilty then you have to go to trial which could be time consuming not to mention a pain.

bluecow

The point of a speeding ticket is to stop you from driving too fast again, i think you should just learn your lesson.

Rica 82

You might think that having a lawyer is too expensive. It really won't run you more than $400-$500.00. It might even be less. If you think its too much, think about how much more your insurance will be if it goes up.

mouthbreather77

ONE SPEEDING TICKET IS NOT GOING TO DRASTICALLY INCREASE YOUR PREMIUM!!!! SWITCH TO GEICO! I PAY $110 a month. And they knew I had an accident before selling me the policy.

Belinda

If you plead not guilty you may get out of it because the cops dont always have time to show up for little things like that. Good luck

realnj973

I live in NJ, but I'm sure the process is similar. Just call the Municipal building where you got the ticket. The number should be on the ticket itself. Schedule a court date with them for you to come in and plead not guilty. You don't need a lawyer. There will be a prosecutor there. When it's your turn to talk to the prosecutor just tell him nicely you really just are trying to get out of the points. In most cases they change your charge to a careless driving and amend the points. It ends up being a rather hefty fine ($300-$400 in NJ).

notaclue

I have no clue as to how aggressive the police pursue their summons in PA! I know they like to give them out especially in your area from past experiences!
In NYS, we plead not guilty! Go to court on the designated day and the officer will generally approach you as he already knows your plea and has to attend court. The officer will always drop the speeding to a lesser offense, that depending on how many past violations are on your record.
NO COURT or POLICE OFFICER wants to have a trial at tax payers expense for speeding tickets! They'd all rather be fishing or something else! It's all about "money" and nothing more! If you want to break the law and pay fines and higher insurance rates, they don't care! Just give them their money without a trial.
So plead not guilty, go to court, and you will most likely walk out with a seat belt infraction or something of that nature! If you're not a persistant offender they may reduce it to a parking ticket of some degree and you pay the fine but no points and the insurance company can hold their hand on their a@s for higher premiums!
I have never used a lawyer in my life for moving violations! They do exactly what you can do yourself and still keep $500 in your pocket! I have had many a tickets squashed or reduced!
Don't be intimidated by the system- it's all corrupt in this country! You have the option at any time of withdrawing your original plea and change it to guilty if the court or police officer should insist on a trial! Just don't ask the officer for a "deposition" or that will get you hung! They hate the paperwork!

Lauren Hottiman

If your willing to fork over the money hire a lawyer and he/she will recommend driving school to the judge. When I got my ticket I had a police officer friend go with me to court. The judge recommended driving school and I did not get any points added to my license. You can also go to driving school once a year and eventually earn extra points on your license and lower your insurance premiums.

Michael b

No. Plead not guilty so they can lower your payment of the ticket.

Dont worry about the insurance. It will not go up for one tictet.

Rebecca A

Pay the fine- quit whining- and slow down. Your insurance won't go up unless you got a reckless-op (20 mph) over.

J girl

more than likely, the judge will look at your case and after reviewing your records and seeing that is't clean, he will let you go. you didn't say what the speed was, but if it wasn't over 20, I don't think your ins. is going to go up just for this one time. BE CAREFUL next time.

Guess Who

Just pay it, and put it behind you.

ButwhatdoIno?

So you "were speeding" then? The crystal clean record only meant you hadn't got caught by anyone to that point(so you COULD HAVE been speeding alot of times).
Hope for a kind judge and don't be snarky.
Hope that he looks at your driving record and goes easy on you and does not throw that thought into the mix.

swenson0

Just pay the fine and forget it

bradxschuman

If you ARE truly guilty of speeding, it's cut and dry. Pay your ticket and avoid the BS of a frivolous proceeding...if you go ahead and plead NOT GUILTY when you know for fact you ARE, the judge will be much harsher on you than otherwise.

Jess V

pay it, there's not any other effective way of dealing with it.

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