There are many factors that determine the outcome in court of a speeding ticket. These include the speed that the motorist is alleged to have been driving, the prosecutor handling the case, the judge hearing the case, the motorist’s driving record, and the skill of the attorney handling the case. Other factors include the county the ticket was issued in and the court that the case is returnable to. For example, speeding tickets received in Suffolk County that are returnable to one of the local town, village, or justice courts can often be reduced to 0 points with the assistance of a Suffolk County Traffic Lawyer, however tickets returnable to the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Bureau in Hauppauge over the last 10 years have been much more challenging as the court had complex rules and guidelines that often prohibit the offering of any type of reduction. In the past prosecutors at the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency weighed heavily on prior speeding tickets issued within the last 3 years, even if the previous speeding tickets were reduced to 0 points. They are essentially able to see what the original charge was even when the ticket was reduced. For speeding tickets issued for 31 miles an hour or more over the limit, the Suffolk Traffic Agency would look back 10 years and hold those previous speeding tickets against the motorist. In January 2024, changes were made at the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency which did away with many of the draconian rules that had been in effect for the last 10 years. If you have been issued a Suffolk County speeding ticket, it’s important to consult with a Suffolk County traffic lawyer. They are familiar with the Suffolk Courts and in the best position to navigate your Suffolk County speeding ticket to a successful conclusion.
Speeding tickets returnable to the New York City Traffic Violations Bureaus (TVB’s), Queens TVB, Brooklyn TVB, the Bronx TVB, Staten Island TVB, and Manhattan TVB, will usually require a trial, as the city traffic violations bureau’s do not permit plea bargaining.
Due to the nature of the Brooklyn TVB, it is not uncommon for Brooklyn speeding ticket cases to take years to resolve. Generally, the older a speeding ticket gets, the less effect the conviction will have on the motorist’s license and insurance. Consequently, if a Brooklyn traffic lawyer believes he is likely to lose a trial, he will often adjourn the case far into the future, at times delaying a case up to 5 years. Delaying a case has other benefits as well. Sometimes a police officer will retire during the pendency of the case and the case will have to be dismissed, or the officer may lose his or her copy of the ticket, or may no longer remember the incident. Brooklyn traffic lawyers are very good at handling Brooklyn speeding tickets.
Like in Brooklyn, the Queens TVB does not permit negotiated settlements either, consequently most Queens speeding tickets are resolved through trial. While it’s difficult to obtain an outright dismissal at trial, it is not uncommon for Queens Traffic Lawyers to obtain reductions after a trial. Particularly on cases that involve borderline speeds. Speeding tickets that are 1 or 2 miles over the point demarcation level. For example, a speeding ticket of 72 mile per hour in a 50 mile per hour zone (a 6 point violation), reduced to a 70 miles per hour in a 50 mile per hour zone (a 4 point violation). To do this the Queens Traffic Lawyer needs to be versed in visual estimates, radar, laser, pacing and the margin of error of the various speed measuring devices.
Speeding tickets returnable to the Southampton Town Court located at 32 Jackson Ave, Southampton and Southampton Village Court at 151 Windmill Lane, Southampton can usually be reduced 0 points with the assistance of an experienced Southampton Traffic Lawyer. Likewise, speeding tickets returnable to the Babylon Village Court, Lake Grove Village Court, Islandia Village Court, and Patchogue Village Court can often be reduced to 0 points when represented by a Suffolk County Traffic Lawyer who regularly appears in those courts.
While speeding tickets received in Nassau County can usually be reduced with the assistance of counsel, the courts tend to look more carefully at the motorist’s prior record as well as the speed that the motorist is alleged to have been traveling at.
The Westchester Courts also tend to look a little more closely at a motorist’s driving record when considering any reduction, nonetheless Westchester traffic lawyers are often successful in obtaining speeding ticket reductions to 0 points for their speeding ticket clients.
Resolutions on speeding tickets received in upstate New York will depend on the county and the court the speeding ticket is returnable, however upstate attorneys are often successful in reducing speeding tickets to 0 points upon the completion of a court approved program.
In New York State, all speeding tickets carry points ranging from 3 points for minimal speeding ticket to 11 points. The greater the miles per hour over the speed limit, the higher the points assessed. Upon conviction, some speeding tickets carry an automatic license suspension. With other speeding tickets, the decision whether to suspend a license or not is up to the discretion of the court. When confronted with very high speeding tickets, generally in the 8- or 11-point range, some courts will suspend a motorist’s driver’s license upon the driver’s first appearance in court, even without having ever been convicted. This is what is known as a suspension pending prosecution. In this situation the license will stay suspended until the case is resolved or the court agrees to lift the suspension.
It’s never good to have a speeding ticket conviction on your license. For one thing, they tend to carry a lot of points. They can also lead to your license being suspended as well as increased insurance premiums. It’s always best to avoid having a speeding ticket conviction placed on your license when possible. For this reason, it’s a good idea to consult with a traffic lawyer before you decide to enter a plea of guilty.
The following are the number of points that each speeding conviction carries:
3 points —– 1 to 10 mph over limit
4 points —- 11 to 20 mph over limit
6 points —- 21 to 30 mph over limit
8 points —- 31 to 40 mph over limit
11 points —- over 40 mph over limit
Why you should not plead guilty to a New York Speeding Ticket:
Too many points will lead to a license suspension
You should always avoid being convicted of a speeding ticket when possible. In New York all speeding tickets carry points. In fact, most speeding tickets carry a lot of points. For example, a speeding ticket of 77 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone carries 6 points. Motorists who accumulate over 10 points on their license within an 18 month period will generally have their license suspended by the New York State DMV.
Three or more speeding tickets will suspend your license for 6 months
Drivers who are convicted of 3 speeding tickets with dates of violation all within 18 months of each other, Will have their license suspended for 6 months by the NYS DMV.
In New York State, motorists who accumulate 6 or more points, with dates of violation within an 18 month period, will be required to pay a driver assessment fee. The driver assessment fee, imposed by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, is in addition to any fines, surcharges and administrative fees imposed by the court. Many speeding tickets by themselves carry 6 points. The New York State Driver assessment fee starts at $300 ($100 per year for 3 years) for those with 6 points. An 8 point speeding conviction carries a $450 driver assessment fee ($150 a year for 3 years). An 11 point speeding conviction will lead to a $675 driver assessment fee ($200 a year for 3 years). This is providing you have no other points on your license. Those who accumulate higher points will be assessed a higher driver assessment fee.
Convictions for speeding tickets will usually lead to increased insurance premiums. In fact speeding tickets are generally weighted heavier than non-speeding tickets of the same points. When possible, speeding ticket convictions should be avoided.
The goal of every attorney is to have your speeding ticket dismissed or reduced as much as possible.
NO ONE SHOULD EVER PLEAD GUILTY TO A NEW YORK SPEEDING TICKET
WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING WITH AN ATTORNEY
Contact a New York Traffic Lawyer Today!
