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

If you were ticketed in Palm Beach County for driving thirty miles or more over the posted speed limit, you are not alone. In 2013, there were 2,093 citations issued for driving thirty miles or more over the posted speed limit. In 2014, that number increased to 2,205, and by 2015, increased yet again, to 2,352. According to a 2011 news story, one out of every ten speeding tickets given in the state of Florida is given in Palm Beach County. Speeding is, by and large, the most common traffic infraction. There are a number of very serious legal consequences you could face if convicted of the offense, as well as consequences other than statutory penalties. If you are convicted of driving thirty miles or more over the posted speed limit, you could face greatly increased automobile insurance premiums. In many cases, insurance companies simply refuse to insure those who receive a speeding ticket of thirty miles or more over the posted speed limit.

Since vehicle insurance is mandatory in the state of Florida, you could be left unable to get to and from work, or to engage in any of the dozens of errands you run every week in your vehicle. A conviction for driving thirty or more miles over the posted speed limit also takes away your ability to simply write out a check for the fine and drop it in the mail. In fact, you should probably not do that for any ticket you receive, but in this case, you don’t have the option. You must either appear in court, or have an attorney appear on your behalf. If you live outside the state of Florida, this would certainly be a more appealing option, saving you both time and money in the long run. Other issues associated with driving thirty or more miles above the posted speed limit include:

• You will receive four points if convicted of the offense, or six points if an accident occurred.
• You will pay fines as large as $500, depending on the judge’s assessment of the facts surrounding your ticket, the officer’s input and your prior driving record.
• If you were speeding thirty miles or more in a school zone or construction zone, your fines will be doubled.
• If you were ticketed for driving fifty miles or more over the posted speed limit, you will face a minimum fine of $1,000.
• Your attorney could convince a judge to withhold adjudication in your case, meaning you would pay the fines, but if you received no traffic tickets within a specified period of time, you would not receive points on your driving record;
• The judge in your case has the option to suspend your license for a period of time based on the speed you were driving, even if you have not reached the specified number of points for a suspension.
• Your ticket was issued under Florida statutes 316.89, 316.87 and/or 316.83.
• The original ticket which is filed with the Clerk of the Court must have your signature and the signature of the ticketing officer.
• The methods used in the state of Florida to determine speed include pace clock, laser and radar. There are challenges available for each of these methods.

Helping Your Florida Traffic Ticket Attorney

If you have received a ticket for traveling thirty miles or more over the posted speed limit, there are certain things you can do after receiving the ticket to make your attorney’s job much easier, and to help your attorney defend you. As soon as you receive a speeding ticket, you should note your exact location, determining how far it was between where your alleged speeding violation occurred and where you were actually stopped. Make a note of the weather conditions as well as the officer’s name and badge number. If there were passengers in your vehicle, make a record of their names and addresses. As soon as you are able, write down everything you can remember as far as what was said and done during your traffic stop by yourself and the officer. Although the officer is not required to show you the laser or radar readout, you can politely ask. Every single detail you can provide, will help your attorney build a solid case on your behalf.

Defenses to Your Palm Beach County Speeding Ticket

The primary defenses which are used to defend those accused of speeding are generally those associated with the method in which the speed was measured. Speed detection by pacing may be challenged by stating the officer failed to follow you for a sufficient period of time or failed to stay the required distance behind you. Laser and radar detectors must be routinely maintained and calibrated, and the officers who use these devices must be properly trained and certified in order to use the devices. Otherwise, your attorney may claim one of the following defenses on your behalf:

• Actual innocence—you weren’t driving the speed limit the officer claims;
• You were driving the speed limit, however road and weather conditions supported your speed. This defense is unlikely to work at speeds of more than thirty miles per hour over the posted speed limit.
• If true, your attorney can tell the judge you had an emergency situation which required you to exceed the speed limit.
• The radar detector picked up another vehicle, not yours;
• The speed readout of the device was interfered with by a utility sign, a metal traffic sign or a nearby power station.

If you have received a Palm Beach County speeding ticket for driving thirty or more miles over the posted speed limit, having an attorney from The Law Place by your side could make the difference between a conviction and a much better outcome. Our attorneys understand the potentially far-reaching consequences of such a conviction, and will work hard on your behalf to minimize those consequences. Don’t wait—call an attorney from The Law Place today.