Sacramento Speeding Ticket Lawyer
Speeding Ticket Lawyer Sacramento
Sacramento Speeding Ticket Lawyer
Traffic tickets are nearly as common in The Golden State as sun, sand and sea are. However, you should never ignore a ticket or think that one little speeding ticket won’t affect your driving record.
Ignoring a speeding citation could result in more than the loss of your driver’s license.
Speeding Law Basics
The legal concept of speeding in California is straightforward. If you go more than 1 mile per hour over the posted speed limit, then a law enforcement officer can give you a citation.
However, police officers have plenty of discretion in California. The law says a driver is speeding if he or she is traveling at a speed greater “than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.”
That means an officer will cite you if he or she believes that your speeding endangers the safety of other motorists.
Penalties for Exceeding the Speed Limit
Penalties for a first-time offender include fines and possible license suspension.
If police believe you were driving recklessly, you could be facing a fine between $145 and $1,000, and you could face between 5 and 90 days in jail. The state can suspend your driver’s license for up to a year, as well.
Defending a Speeding Offense
There are essentially two types of defenses against a speeding charge. The technical speeding defense asserts that the police used impermissible tactics to apprehend you. The substantive speeding defense asserts that the police were incorrect in their claim.
Breaking California Speed Limits (55 to 70 Miles per Hour)
The maximum speed limit when there is no speed limit sign is 65 miles per hour.
You will be in violation of California’s maximum speed limit if you drive:
- Over 70 miles per hour on a freeway with a posted speed limit
- Over 65 miles per hour on a freeway or road with no posted limit
- Over 55 mph on an undivided two-lane highway (regardless of whether there’s a posted speed limit)
Basic Speed Law Defenses and the Maximum Speed Limit Law
If you get a speeding ticket in Sacramento, the law requires the prosecution to prove that you were traveling faster than the posted speed limit or over the 65-mile-per-hour maximum speed limit.
Speed Limits
The state of California has specific speed limits for different types of roadways:
- 65 miles per hour is the maximum unless otherwise posted
- 55 miles per hour on an undivided two-lane highway
- 35 miles per hour on non-state highways
- 25 miles per hour in all business or residential locales
- 25 miles per hour near all children’s playgrounds
- 15 miles per hour down any alley
The Traffic Violation Point System
If the courts find you guilty of speeding, they’ll assign demerit points to your license. If you accumulate fouror more points on your license within 12 months;six or more points in 24 months; or eight or more points in 36 months, you’ll be facing license suspension for up to 6 months.
Fighting Speeding Tickets the Smart Way
Speeding tickets are among the most commonly issued citations in the state. Unfortunately, many drivers don’t get in touch with a speeding ticket lawyer in Sacramento – even if the case should be contested.
When you pay the fine for a speeding ticket, you’re admitting guilt. You don’t have to, though; by getting in touch with an attorney who understands California’s traffic laws and how they apply in your case, you could avoid points on your license, steep fines and license suspension.
Talk to a Speeding Ticket Lawyer in Sacramento Today
If police have issued you a speeding ticket, don’t wait. Get in touch with a speeding ticket lawyer in Sacramento right away; you may be able to avoid points, fines and license suspension.
Call us at 916-303-2800 or contact us online for the help you deserve.