So you got a traffic ticket? What you have to worry about is points on your license and fine. So you just pay the fine and go on with life.
But later down the road you come to find out that you have to pay an additional fee for that little speed ticket due to the nature of the infraction. So with that said would that make you fight a little harder against that ticket?
After these next examples I am sure going to think the next time.
A guy was passing through Georgia and he was pulled over for speeding. He just paid the ticket and moved on not wanting to worry about the hassle of representing himself in court in Georgia. Well a few weeks go by and he gets a bill in the mail from Georgia for an additional $200 fine. His offense exceeding 85 on I-95 classified him as a “Super Speeder” and under Georgia Law an additional fine of $200 is required.
So do you think this is unfair? For sure it is, but it is not unheard of. There are hundreds of stories of motorists in Georgia that have just paid the fines and then get additional fees down the road.
Would you have fought this ticket if you had known this before hand. Sure you would or at least I would.
Georgia is not the only state that has an “Excessive Speed” law, In Illinois they passed a law in 2010 that put drivers who travel 30-39mph over the posted limit in the category of the “Excessive Speed” law. The fines are up to $1500 and possibility of six months in jail. If you exceeding the speed limit by 40mph or more the fines get even higher.
Other states have what are called “driver responsibility programs. These add to the existing fines for certain infractions or for accumulating excessive points. The drivers who can’t pay often lose their licenses and then have to pay reinstatement fees to get them back.
Like New Jersey they tack on and additional $1000 surcharge (paid annually for three years) for a DUI conviction.
Michigan tacks on an additional $500 (paid annually for two years) for a reckless driving conviction. In Michigan they also tack on an additional $100 for the first seven points and $50 for every point after that.
So what is the point to this, well once you pay that fine and mail them your money. You can’t go back, so before you just pay the fine do some research and find out what is really at stake. Are you going to get hit with additional penalties for excessive speeding, what about surcharges or a driver responsibility program? Maybe you get additional fine for being an out of state driver. So do your homework and check into this before you pay it.
Use the cruise control and be safe!
