Escambia County Speeding Ticket for Driving Thirty Miles or More Above the Speed Limit

As with any state, when you receive a speeding ticket in Florida, the state has the burden of proving the case against you. If the state is unable to prove their case, your ticket will be dismissed. Your goal—or that of your attorney—will be to discredit the police officer’s case against you. That can be done in many cases by challenging the method which was used to calculate your speed. In the state of Florida, all five types of speed calculations can be used, including pacing, VASCAR, radar, laser and aircraft detection, however aircraft speed detection and VASCAR are used very rarely.

Each of these methods have elements which can be challenged. As an example, pacing is much less dependable when there was a significant amount of other traffic on the road, or the road was curved or consisted of many hills. Laser is less accurate if the weather was windy, or it was raining. Your Florida traffic ticket attorney understands how to challenge the officer’s statements as well as the method used to measure your speed, and also understands how important it is to prevent you from receiving a conviction for the offense of speeding thirty or more miles over the posted speed limit.

Issues Related to Your Speeding Ticket for Thirty Miles Over the Posted Speed Limit
Unlike tickets for speeding under thirty miles above the speed limit, you do not have the option of simply mailing in a check. You must appear in person, or have an attorney appear on your behalf. (An especially good decision if you live out of state and were just driving through Florida when you received your ticket). Although every county in Florida varies somewhat in the fines which can be assessed for a speeding ticket of thirty miles or more above the posted speed limit, you could pay anywhere from $276 to $500, if found guilty.

The judge has some discretion in cases of thirty miles or more above the speed limit, and can actually revoke your driver’s license if he or she feels that action is warranted. If you have other traffic violations which have accrued points onto your driving record, the four points you would receive for a conviction for driving thirty miles or more above the speed limit could push you over the limit, and your license could be suspended even if the judge does not do so. If you have accrued 12 points within 12 months, you could have your license suspended, or 18 points within 18 months or 24 points within 36 months could also trigger a suspension.

Speeding in Escambia County
You may wonder just how common speeding in Escambia County is, at thirty or more miles above the speed limit. In 2013, there were 303 citations issued in Escambia County for speeding thirty miles or more above the posted speed limit, 313 citations issued for the offense in 2014, and 298 citations issued for the offense in 2015. If you are caught driving 30 miles or more over the posted speed limit, you will be charged under speeding statutes 316.187, 316.189 and 316.183, which discuss unlawful speed, establishment of municipal and county speed zones and establishment of enhanced penalty zones.

Additional Consequences of a Conviction for Your Speeding Ticket
Aside from the legal repercussions you will face if convicted of driving thirty miles or more above the speed limit, you may also find that your automobile insurance rates increase significantly. In some cases, and particularly if you have other traffic citations, your insurance company may refuse to insure you at all. If you decide to represent yourself before the judge, remember that every judge has heard the same tired excuses literally thousands of times. Even if it is absolutely true that you were simply going with the flow of traffic, it is unlikely the judge will give your excuse much weight. Further, the credibility of a police officer tends to be considerably higher than the person who received a speeding ticket. This means the only defense in traffic court is a legal defense based on legal arguments, probably related to the method in which your speed was measured or whether the officer properly followed procedures in issuing your speeding ticket.

Before you decide to defend yourself before a judge, remember that, should you lose your license, your life will be altered in a number of unpleasant ways. You will be unable to drive to and from work, and could even lose your job because of this. You might be unable to get to and from school or take your children to school, and will not be able to run your usual errands without asking for help from someone with a vehicle and a driver’s license. In addition to all the consequences listed above, should you be convicted of speeding over thirty miles per hour above the speed limit, you should know that:

• The actual fine you will pay will be dependent on your past driving record, the facts of your current traffic violation, and input from the officer who wrote you the ticket.
• Any speeding ticket which requires a mandatory appearance must have your signature and the ticketing officer’s signature on the original ticket which is filed with the court clerk.
• If your Florida attorney can convince the judge to withhold adjudication in your case, then no points will be placed on your driving record.
• Occasionally, a Florida police officer will amend your ticket to 29 miles per hour over the speed limit, which can greatly reduce the repercussions you face.
• You do not have the option of attending traffic school for a ticket of 30 miles or more over the speed limit.
• If you receive a speeding ticket for going 30 miles above the posted speed limit in a construction zone or school zone, your fines will automatically be doubled.

Why You Should Speak to a Florida Attorney Regarding Your Speeding Ticket
In order to have a chance of having your speeding ticket dismissed, or at least reduced, in order to minimize the number of points on your license, speak to an experienced traffic ticket attorney from The Law Place. Our attorneys are knowledgeable about Florida laws, judges and police officers, and will work hard for the best possible outcome of your ticket.

Escambia County Courthouse
190 W Government Street
Pensacola, FL 32502
(850) 595-4360