Why it is Important to Fight Your Illinois Speeding Ticket

 Posted on February 01, 2017 in Speeding

Many drivers have traveled slightly too fast while behind the wheel at some point in their driving career. It certainly is not very difficult to exceed the posted speed limit, especially when everyone around you on the road is speeding as well. Drivers can get caught up in the flow of traffic and keep pace with the other vehicles around them. They do not realize that they have exceeded the speed limit until it is too late and a law enforcement officer stops them and issues them a ticket for speeding.

Speeding is often treated as a minor traffic violation. However,if you receivea speeding ticket for driving more than 26 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, it can result in a misdemeanor charge under 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5. A less serious situation may arise when you get a speeding ticket for driving less than 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, which results in a citation where the penalty is the payment of a civil fine.

Most people who are issued a ticket for speeding simply pay their fine and go on their way. But by paying a fine for your speeding ticket you are admitting your guilt or that you plead no contest to the speeding charges that have been lodged against you.

Simply paying the fine associated with your speeding ticket can have a lot of unintended consequences of which you may not be aware. For instance, points will be added to your driver’s license, and if you accrue too many points, your license could be suspended. Additionally, too many points on your driver’s license will likely end up costing you more in terms of your auto insurance premiums.

Some Speeding Tickets Are More Serious Than Others

Certainspeeding tickets are more serious than others in Illinois, meaning that some speeding offenses carry more severe punishment because of special considerations involving where the speeding took place. For instance:

• School zone speeding violations. Speeding offenses committed near school zones during the day when children are at the school are considered special speeding violations.
• Work zone speeding violations. Speeding violations that are committed in a work zone or on an area of highway that is under construction are also special speeding violations. Drivers must drive through construction areas and work zones at the posted speed regardless of whether workers are present or not.

Can You Get a Ticket for Driving Too Slowly in Illinois?

Under Illinois law it is possible for drivers to be given a ticket for driving too slowly. Drivers are not permitted to drive so slowly that they obstruct the normal flow of traffic. There are many situations that warrant drivers slowing down well below the posted speed limit, such as when there is an accident, traffic, or emergency vehicles on the side of the road. But when the regular flow of traffic is obstructed, there are minimum speed regulations with which the drivers are required to comply.

Got a Speeding Ticket? Talk to Us

If you have been issued a speeding ticket, a traffic violations lawyer will know how to fight your speeding ticket. You should consult with an experienced Rolling Meadows traffic violations lawyer about fighting your speeding ticket and for professional help with your case.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/062500050K11-601.5.htm

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K11-606