While all speeding tickets are the result of breaking the law in the state of Florida, the severity of your punishment can vary greatly depending on exactly how much you exceeded the posted speed limit. For example, it is very rare that a Florida police officer will pull you over for exceeding the speed limit by just a couple of miles per hour. However, once you exceed this amount of speeding, you can expect to be pulled over and fined accordingly. Once you reach a point where you are exceeding the speed limit by 30 mph or more, a whole different set of penalties will come into play. Instead of a simple fine, you can expect a mandatory court date as well as less leniency with points on your driver’s license.

If you have recently been pulled over by the police and received a speeding ticket for driving 30 or more miles per hour over the speed limit in Gadsden County, the smartest decision that you could make going forward is to hire an experienced speeding attorney in order to minimize the consequences of your alleged offense. This becomes even more important if you are from outside the state of Florida, as the mandatory court presence can cause serious logistical difficulties without a lawyer to stand in court in your place.

We offer everyone a free consultation over the phone at no-obligation, fully protected by the attorney-client relationship. We also operate our telephone lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your convenience. Get in touch today by calling (855)-831-7020.

The Consequences of a Speeding Ticket for Driving 30 MPH or More Over the Limit in Gadsden County, Florida

If you are caught by a police officer and issued a speeding ticket for driving 30 mph or more over the posted speed limit in Florida, things are not as simple as with exceeding the limit by a lower amount.

If you had been driving 29 mph or less over the speed limit, you would have been able to simply post a check paying your fine. However, with 30 mph or more, you will be issued with a mandatory court date. The only exception to this will be if you hire a speeding attorney to stand in your place at the court date.

You will also be issued with points on your driver’s license for the speeding offense. In the state of Florida, accumulating twelve points in a year means that you may lose your license for a month. Eighteen points accrued within a period of eighteen months means you may lose your license for three months. Twenty-four points accrued within a period of three years may result in a license suspension for an entire year.

Furthermore, usually, attendance and completion of a traffic school course will allow you to circumvent getting points on your driver’s license. But, when receiving a traffic ticket for exceeding the speed limit by thirty or more mph, you will lose the option to attend a traffic school.

Which Florida Statutes Will Govern My Speeding Ticket?

Your speeding offense in Florida will be governed by Florida Statutes 316.187, 316.189, and 316.183.

Specifically, under Statute 316.183, even if you are not actually in excess of the posted speed limit, you must be driving in a way that is responsible. This applies in particular to bad weather, unfavorable road conditions, and general reckless or hazardous driving at any level of speed.

What Are Some Possible Defenses to My Traffic Ticket?

When utilizing the legal services of The Law Place, your defense will always be personalized to the specific facts and overall situation surrounding your speeding ticket.

However, for the purposes of information, you will find examples of common defenses listed below:

• If you were denied the right to a speedy trial, your attorney could move for a Motion to Dismiss.
• You may also receive a Motion to Dismiss if you are in a position where your attorney was denied evidence that was necessary to your defense.
• There may not be enough existing evidence to support the charges leveled against you.
• If the memory of the officer arresting you is lacking, this can be used in your defense.
• If any procedural errors occurred in the process of issuing you a speeding ticket, it might be dismissed.
• Improperly maintained or calibrated laser or radar devices may lead to a dismissal of your ticket. Similarly, if the officer utilizing the device was improperly trained or certified, the reading could be deemed inaccurate, leading to the dismissal of your ticket.

How Might the Situation Surrounding My Speeding Offense Impact My Ticket?

The specific circumstances surrounding your ticket may have a considerable impact on the outcome of your speeding ticket.

For example, one possibility is that if you were only just exceeding the legal limit by, for example, 31 mph, was not driving in a particularly hazardous manner, and was polite and compliant with the officer who pulled you over; they may be willing to demonstrate some leniency. In this situation, it is not unheard of for an officer to be convinced to write you a traffic ticket for going 29 miles per hour over the limit instead of 30, saving you an incredible amount of hassle. However, you should remember that this will mean you got lucky and you should by no means expect this kind of treatment.

One the other hand, the area in which you are driving could make your traffic ticket even worse. If you were speeding in a construction zone or a school zone, you could expect the fines issued for your speeding offense to be doubled.

What Devices Are Commonly Used to Measure a Vehicle’s Speed?

There are several different devices and methods which could be employed by a police officer in order to measure the speed of your vehicle to determine by how much you were exceeding the limit.

The following is a list of the most common methods:

• Radar gun – These work by creating radio waves that bounce off your car and return to the device held by the police officer. The results are then amplified and fed into a speed readout device, which will display your vehicle’s speed for the officer.
• Laser gun – These look much like radar guns but operate with light instead of radio waves. A laser is pointed at your vehicle and bounces back to the device. The time taken between these two actions is then calculated against the speed of light to present the officer with a reading of your speed.
• Other, more unusual methods – there are other methods available to officers. One example would be pacing, where the officer increases the speed of their vehicle to catch up with you and then waits a certain amount of time to confirm your speed.

Contact The Law Place in Florida for Legal Representation Today

If you have received a ticket for violating the posted limit by 30 miles per hour or more, then it is very important to get legal defense by an experienced and trusted speeding attorney. The consequences on your personal life and on the earning potential of your professional life can be greatly impacted by a license suspension.

A lawyer can also appear in court on your behalf, which may prevent you from having to take time out of your busy schedule to attend court yourself.

The lawyers at The Law Place have a wealth of experience, minimizing the impact of traffic tickets. We can offer you a free consultation over the telephone at no-obligation, any time of the day or night. For more information or personalized legal advice, please contact our law firm on (855)-831-7020 today!