Fighting a traffic ticket could help you avoid increased insurance rates, paying fines, jail time and a host of other consequences. You might wonder whether fighting your ticket is worth it or if you should just pay for it and be done. There are some considerations you can look at for help in making this determination, with the following being just a few.
The Cost of Your Ticket
If you were given a speeding ticket for going five miles per hour over the speed limit, your fine might be very low. Sometimes these tickets cost somewhere between $150 and $200. If your offense is greater, such as going 30 miles per hour over the speed limit, you could end up paying $400 or $500. As you can see, a smaller ticket may not be worth the fight in court, while a larger ticket might be, and those are some things you should look at when deciding what to do.
The Cost of a Lawyer
If you are going to hire a traffic ticket lawyer to help you with your case, you should consider how much he or she is going to charge to fight the ticket for you. Depending on your case, a lawyer, such as at the Kreger Law Firm, might start cases at $150. The complexity of your case would make the cost go up from there. If your ticket is for $150 and you’ll be charged $200 by your lawyer, you would end up losing more by fighting the ticket.
If You Face Jail Time
If your ticket comes with the possibility of jail time, it would probably be worth fighting it in court, as long as you have a strong case and your lawyer feels you could win. Some offenses that could possibly include jail time include vehicular homicide or manslaughter, reckless driving, fleeing from police, DUI, and leaving an accident scene.
If You Face a License Suspension
Some traffic offenses carry the consequence of a license suspension. This could include speeding, refusing a blood-alcohol test, leaving an accident scene, DUI, street racing or failing to secure a child. If you face a license suspension, you may want to consider fighting the ticket so you can keep your driving privileges.
Contacting a Lawyer to Learn More
There are a lot of things to consider when deciding whether to fight a traffic ticket in court. While costs will make up a big portion of your decision, you should also consider your quality of life and what the future holds. Contact a traffic ticket lawyer today to learn more about your options. Contact an attorney today for more information.