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

Of course you are violating Florida law, whether you are exceeding the speed limit by five miles per hour or thirty-five miles per hour, however the repercussions for going thirty plus miles per hour above the speed limit are likely to be considerably harsher than those for going five miles over the speed limit. Another consideration is that officers are less likely to stop speeders who are going only a few miles over the speed limit, and more likely to give a break to those who are going a few miles over the speed limit rather than thirty or more. The amount of leeway given anyone stopped for speeding is entirely up to the discretion of the Florida police officer.

The Circumstances of Your Speeding
The circumstances surrounding your speeding will likely also be taken into consideration. As an example, if you were driving thirty miles or more over the speed limit on a wide open, straight road with little traffic, the officer is probably not going to be as tough on you as if you were driving the same speed limit through a neighborhood, in a school zone or construction zone, or in heavy traffic. The judge will also take these facts into consideration when deciding your guilt and your penalties.

Florida Well-Known for Speeding Tickets
According to a 2012 study, the state of Florida holds the (dubious) honor of handing out the most speeding tickets of any other state across the nation. In Lake County, specifically, there were 212 citations issued in 2013 to those driving thirty miles or more over the speed limit, 264 citations for the offense issued in 2014, and 231 citations for the offense in 2015. All traffic tickets in the state of Florida are handled on the county level, meaning your fines will not vary significantly from county to county, although the surcharges added by the individual counties will likely vary.

Your Options After Receiving a Florida Speeding Ticket
For speeding tickets in which the driver was driving less than thirty miles per hour over the posted speed limit, the driver has the option of simply dropping a check in the mail and paying the fine. Note that this may not be the best option, because by doing so you have effectively pled guilty to the offense, and will receive points on your driving record. If, however, you are ticketed for driving thirty miles or more above the posted speed limit, you no longer have the option to pay the ticket and move on with your life.

Appearing Before a Judge After Receiving a Speeding Ticket for Thirty Miles Over the Limit
You are required under Florida law to make a mandatory appearance before a judge. If you don’t live in the state, you can have an attorney from The Law Place appear on your behalf, or even if you do live in state, having an attorney by your side presents a much more professional appearance, and immediately gives you a better chance for a positive outcome. You may not think four points on your driving record is that big a deal, but consider the following:

• Twelve points on your record within twelve months will result in a one-month license suspension;
• Eighteen points on your driving record within eighteen months, could result in a loss of your license for three months.
• Twenty-four points on your driving record within thirty-six months could result in a loss of your license for a year.

Florida Statutes for Speeding
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. If found guilty of driving thirty miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit, you will receive four points on your driving record unless an accident resulted, in which case you will receive six points. Lower speeds will result in three points on your license.

Driving School Not an Option for Speeds Above Thirty Miles Over the Speed Limit
Although attending driving school is an option when you are ticketed at lower speeds, it is not an option when you receive a ticket for thirty or more miles over the posted speed limit. Even if ticketed for lower speeds, you are only allowed to attend driving school once per year and a maximum of five times total over your lifetime. Attending driving school prevents points from being added to your driving record, however you are still required to pay all the fines and fees you would normally pay.

How Your Speed Was Measured
In the state of Florida, the officer who ticketed you could have used radar, laser, VASCAR, aircraft detection or pacing—although VASCAR and aircraft detection are rare. Each one of these processes to measure speed have some issues which your attorney can challenge. Radar and Laser speed detection can also be challenged in several different ways. The beam of radar is fairly wide, therefore it may have targeted a larger vehicle than your own. Laser must be held very steadily, or placed on a tripod to be accurate, and both laser and radar units must be calibrated and maintained frequently.

Call The Law Place Today
If you were ticketed in Lake County for driving thirty or more miles above the posted speed limit, it is extremely important that you contact an attorney from The Law Place as soon as possible. Our attorneys have a level of experience, coupled with knowledge of local, state and federal laws which is unparalleled. We will work hard on your behalf to ensure your speeding ticket brings the fewest consequences possible.

Lake County Courthouse
550 W Main Street
Tavares, FL 32778
(352) 742-4100