NC speeding tickets in a school zone cause many serious problems. Even if there is no accident, no injuries, or close calls, this ticket can hurt you financially. Perhaps the speed was very low, though, and would not be speeding if school had not been in session. Surely, it cannot be that bad, you may think. You may be shocked. The State doesn't care. NC speeding tickets received in a school zone, no matter what the speed, carry a hefty fine of $250.00. Add this to the $200.00 or so the State will want for court costs, and this adds up. This simple lapse of attention is now, right from the start, costing you over $450.00! Unfortunately, that's not all.
Insurance Penalties are high for NC Speeding Tickets in a School Zone
If you pay your tickets received in a school zone, the State of NC may give you three insurance points. This could raise your insurance up to 60 percent over your base rate for three full years! Insurance is too high already. You don't need to accept this. There are alternatives but you need professional help. Don't make the mistake of pleading guilty to a charge like this and accepting these consequences. It will haunt you for three FULL years. Sawyer Law can advise you of your options in a FREE consultation. Call 336-274-5552 and we can tell you how we can help. You'll pay nothing to talk to us.
How Can I Protect Myself from Getting a Ticket?
The Police Department is always on the alert for people exceeding the speed limit in school zones. However, they obviously target these areas during special times of the year. The beginning of a new school year is a busy time. And, of course, the police are also on the lookout for other violations as well. Not wearing your seat belt, expired registrations, improper lane changes and incomplete stops are some common violations. You must be careful at any time in these areas, but especially at the beginning of the school year. Holidays, too, are an active time because the police know that people are busy and distracted.
Be Aware of Schools on Your Usual Routes
Know the school zones on your usual routes. Become familiar with the times the zones are active. You cannot always rely on lights or other obvious cues. Some schools are on side streets, but the zones may extend down the adjacent main roads. Pay attention to signs the schools may post as well. Schools often announce early closings or special events that will affect traffic.
How Can Sawyer Law Help If I am Guilty of Speeding in a School Zone?
Speeding tickets in a school zone DO carry harsh penalties. However, even if you are guilty, there are many ways to lessen these penalties. First, we would work for a plea that will take this charge out of the school zone. This would eliminate the $250.00 fine. Secondly, we would work to plead your speeding charge down to something that will NOT affect your insurance. Depending on the speed, this may be possible. If not, we would do the best we can to keep your insurance points as low as possible. Sawyer Law will look at the case and help you decide what the best course of action would be.
Why Will the Court Reduce this Ticket?
In order to do this, we may ask you to do some things. You will need to show the court how sorry you are for this lapse of attention. We frequently request a short on-line driving class from clients charged with speeding in a school zone. If the speed is very high or there were other aggravating factors, we may ask for a bit more. In difficult cases, you can volunteer for a non-profit organization in the community. Hours confirmed by the organization on official letterhead may help you get the outcome you desire. It may take a bit more of your time to handle the ticket this way, rather than just paying it. However, it will NOT be as painful as THREE FULL YEARS of drastically increased insurance payments.
My Court Date is Coming Up Soon ....
It doesn't matter when your court date is. If it is tomorrow, call us today and we can be in court for you. Is your court date TODAY? Call us today. We will do what we can or get it added back on so that there will be no additional penalties. If your court date has already passed and you did not take care of this ticket, call us anyway. We can help you get things straightened out. A simple call to Sawyer Law at 336-274-5552 can help you decide the best course of action for your case. The consultation is FREE and usually does not take much time. You will not need to make any decisions during this call. We will just give you information about your specific case.
What Does the Free Consultation Include?
When you call Sawyer Law to discuss your ticket, we'll listen. Then, we'll give you our professional opinion. We'll tell you what outcome we hope to get for you. A professional will explain what that means and how it will affect your insurance. We'll let you know what you may need to do to get that outcome. At Sawyer Law we'll inform you of probable expenses to you for driving school and court costs. And, we'll give you a flat attorney fee so you'll know right from the start what you'll owe us. Once you get off the phone, if you think of more questions, we'll be happy to answer those, too. You have nothing to lose. Call us today at 336-274-5552.