You are having a discussion with a few of your friends on a variety of topics. It could be on the state of the economy, future family plans, or the just played Super Bowl game. All of a sudden, one of your friends starts griping about a speeding ticket he or she received a few days ago. Your friend states "it is those cops that are just out there for the sole purpose of giving out speeding tickets and are not really out there arresting the real criminals". Many drivers externalize (or "cop-out", no pun intended) their ticketed speeding violations by placing blame on extraneous factors. These include: "blame it on the cop", not enough speed limit signs on that road, insufficient visibility to notice the speed limit signs, and a few others. Consequently, this can become a habitual defense mechanism to hold themselves unaccountable ("not my fault") for their speeding violations and therefore not allowing them to analyze their speeding behaviors. This externalization process can impede the ticketed from realizing the dangers that speeding produces.

If you asked a group of people what the most disobeyed traffic sign is most of them would probably say the "Stop" sign or the "Yield" sign. In fact, the most disobeyed traffic sign on our roads, streets, and highways is the maximum "Speed Limit" sign.

Speed limits are most frequently set through statutes. Speed limits can usually be lowered, or sometimes raised, from the legislated speed limit through a process called speed zoning. Common factors included in speed zoning are: 85th percentile speed, design speed, road features, crash records, administrative judgment, engineering judgment, and political influence. Even though specific speed limits may have been established via legislation, state laws usually allow either state or local authorities to set highway speed limits above or below the statutory ones. Prior to taking such action on any portion of a highway, the law normally requires that governmental authorities conduct a study to determine the safe speed limit for that part of the highway. State laws may also allow such authorities to specify different speed limits on all or selected highways (or portions thereof) either for various times of the day or for various types of vehicles (e.g., trucks).

Governmental powers & law enforcement are diligent in setting the appropriate "speed limit" for our streets, roads, and highways. Speeding, which justifiably could be driving just one mile over the maximum speed limit, continues to be a prevalent factor contributing to traffic crashes. In 2008, speeding was a factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes and more than 11,000 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes. Many of those lives lost were of children. Remember, our children depend on your driving.

Please be a responsible driver and be aware of the posted speed limit at all times. A 55 MPH speed limit on a highway means 55, not 65. Remember, the speed limit applies to all lanes- right, center, and yes, even the left lane. A 30 MPH speed limit sign in a residential street means 30, not 40, even when there are no other cars are around.

If you receive a speeding ticket points are assessed your drivers license and in some states requires a defensive driving course. In New York State, if you receive a speeding ticket from 11-20 MPH you receive 4 points on your license. When you complete the defensive driving course you'll remove those points from your NY driver record and be eligible for a mandatory insurance reduction for 3 years.

Let's not limit ourselves to obey that very imperative "Speed Limit" sign.

Labels: dangers of speeding, Speed Limit, speeding ticket, traffic sign

Could your driving behavior help your state meet its budget shortfalls? With the US economy going down the tubes, state and local governments are looking for ways to pay for government services without raising taxes. One thing that many are looking at as a revenue source is traffic fines.

Recent news reports show that a state Senate committee approved a new bill to increase all Florida traffic fines by $10.00 and to raise some speeding fines by $25.00. For example, the fine for 15-19 miles per hour above the limit would increase from $125 to $150. The same committee also voted to end the 18% break that Florida drivers get on their traffic fines when they attend driving school. In addition to the state fines, local governments can also tack on their own fees making their cost even higher. The state of Florida anticipates raising up to $16 million to meet budget shortfalls. If approved by the full legislature, these new fines could go into effect as early as February 1st.

A quick search of news articles shows that local governments in San Jose California, Tulsa Oklahoma, and Richmond Hill Georgia have already or are considering raising traffic fines to pay for various government programs. The small community of Richmond Hill anticipates that the added fees will generate around $20,000 to pay for internet service inside their police cars. In California, speeding drivers who request a driving school to keep their insurance rates down saw that fee rise from $24 to $94 after January 1st.

Two years ago, to pay for roads and highway expenses, Virginia increased their traffic fines astronomically. In addition to traffic fines, Virginia has imposed “civil penalties” on Virginia residents who break certain traffic laws. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit is $1,050; this is in addition to $61 in court costs and a fine of approximately $200. Violators must pay these penalties within three installments or risk suspension of their driver’s license.

The old saying goes that the only thing you can depend on in life is death and taxes but apparently some taxes can be avoided. Unlike income or property taxes that we can’t avoid paying, it is relatively easy to avoid paying these new taxes; just obey the traffic laws. Drivers who choose to disobey the traffic laws aren’t going to get a whole lot of sympathy when faced with these increased fines. And it isn’t like these are really obscure traffic laws that no one knows about. Speed limit signs are posted in clear sight. Traffic lights aren’t rocket science; you either have a green light or you don’t. So, if you are being hit hard by the economy, it doesn’t make much sense to add to the problem by choosing to break the traffic laws.

For more information on driving safety and avoiding traffic fines visit our website at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com/

Labels: driving safety, speeding ticket, traffic fines, traffic laws, traffic ticket

So, you got caught and received a traffic ticket. You are probably angry and frustrated about having to pay a fine and wondering if you have any options. Before you go to traffic court, let’s take a look at what those options may be. These options may differ from state to state but with the internet, you now have more choices than ever.

Going to court - The first question you have to ask yourself here is; are you actually guilty of the offense? Most drivers, although they hate to admit it, are actually guilty of the offense for which they received the ticket. There is a lot of rationalization such as: “I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic” or “Everyone else was doing the same thing”. If “everyone else was doing it”, it may not seem fair but the officer can only stop one person at a time and it was your turn. If you were actually guilty, then going to court probably isn’t a good idea. You may wind up with an even greater fine along with court costs.
If you weren’t guilty of the offense and you can provide evidence that supports your claim, then you may have a case. If it is just your word versus the officer’s, then the officer’s word will probably carry greater weight. Remember, the judge has heard it all before.

Just paying your fine and letting it go - This is the choice a lot of drivers make but it does have drawbacks. If you admit guilt and just pay the fine, in most states, there will be points assessed against your driving record. Those points can add up and, if you get too many, you may find yourself with a suspended license, and your insurance rates can also increase.

Attending traffic school - Most states have an option that allows you to attend a traffic school to avoid points on your license or an insurance premium increase. If you are guilty of the offense, this is probably the best option for you. Remember though that most states place a limit on how many times you can attend a traffic school (usually no more than once a year) and place a time limit on completing the course. You will still have to pay your traffic fine but you may find that you receive a discount on your fine for electing traffic school. A couple of states actually allow you to attend traffic school voluntarily and bank points against a future ticket.

Options for traffic school – With the internet you now have two options for attending traffic school. Most states now allow you to attend traffic school online. This is a great option for people who lead busy lives and don’t want to devote a block of hours to attending a class. Online schools normally allow you to take the course at a time that is most convenient for you; completing it a little bit at a time as your schedule allows.

Using the Clerk of the Court to explore your options – Many county Clerks of the Court are now online and allow you to pay your fine and choose a traffic school from a list of approved schools. A simple Google search can point you to your county clerk’s web site.

To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com./

Labels: speeding ticket, traffic school, traffic ticket