Why You Should Fight a Minor Speeding or Other Traffic Ticket

In Ohio, there is no uniform fee for going ten miles over the speed limit in a school zone, for example. The fines and fees are set by individual municipalities and vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, county to county, and municipality to municipality. The best method for determining the fine you are being assessed is to read your ticket. It will detail the fine for the violation you are accused of committing.

By simply paying the ticket, you make an admission of guilt. Though this may be the quickest way to deal with a traffic violation, it may not be your best strategy. Remember, a guilty plea automatically adds points to your driver’s license. Your insurance company reviews how many points you have accumulated and will increase your insurance rates because of those points.

The following chart gives an abbreviated look at the 2-point violations. You can easily see that pleading guilty to one or more of these violations in a year could potentially have a big impact on your insurance rates.

 

Charge	Driver’s License Points Penalty	Ohio Revised Code Citation
Driving Under Suspended or Revoked License	2	4510.11
Stop Sign	2	4511.43
Traffic Control Lights	2	4511.13
Violation-Railroad Crossing	2	4511.61-64
Traffic Control Device/Signs	2	4511.12
Violation to Avoid Light	2
Hit-Skip with Private Property Damage	2	4549.03
Slow Speed	2	4511.22
Driving Under FRA Suspension	2	4510.16 (A)
Following Too Close	2	4511.34
Disregard of Safety Private Property	2	4511.201
Violation of One Way Traffic	2	4511.32
Driving Left of Center	2	4511.29-30
Failure to Yield to a Pedestrian/Blind	2	4511.46-47
Crossing Yellow Line	2	4511.30
Violation of Traffic Lanes/Lines/Safety Zone	2	4511.25
Failure to Yield Right of Way	2	4511.35

Source: Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles

According to a website dedicated to information about traffic tickets, The Newspaper.com: in 2013 in Ohio, roughly 58 percent of traffic violations “were settled by the recipient paying the fine without attempting to contest the accusation.”  You don’t have to merely accept the ticket and pay the fine. It is your right to contest these tickets.

Do You Need a Traffic Ticket Attorney in Columbus, Ohio?

You can contest your traffic ticket. In fact it is often to your advantage to fight the speeding ticket. If you are facing a traffic ticket, or another in a series of traffic tickets in Columbus, Ohio, you need an attorney who knows the law and can help you navigate the various courts with jurisdiction over traffic offenses. Get the representation of a skilled and trusted attorney who can give you the help you need. The Maher Law Firm can help make sure that your rights are protected. Founding attorney, Colin Maher, has in-depth knowledge and experience working with traffic cases and he will put his skills at your service. Call The Maher Law Firm today for a free consultation at 614-205-2208 or contact us online.