Excessive Speeding Ticket and Traffic School: Can It Help?

Receiving an excessive speeding ticket can have significant consequences, including hefty fines, points on your driving record, increased insurance premiums, and even a potential license suspension. One option that may help mitigate the impact of an excessive speeding ticket is attending traffic school, also known as a defensive driving course. Let’s discuss how traffic school can help in the context of an excessive speeding ticket and the eligibility criteria for enrolling in such a course.

Benefits of Traffic School for Excessive Speeding

Attending traffic school after receiving an excessive speeding ticket can provide several benefits:

1. Ticket Dismissal or Reduction: In some cases, completing traffic school may result in the dismissal or reduction of your excessive speeding ticket. This can help you avoid the negative consequences of a traffic violation, such as points on your driving record, increased insurance premiums, and potential license suspension.
2. Preventing Points on Your Driving Record: Successfully completing traffic school can prevent points from being added to your driving record for the excessive speeding violation. This can help you maintain a cleaner driving record and avoid the additional penalties associated with accumulating too many points within a specific time frame.
3. Lowering Insurance Premiums: Many insurance companies offer discounts or incentives for drivers who complete a traffic school or defensive driving course. By demonstrating that you have taken steps to improve your driving skills and reduce the likelihood of future traffic violations, you may be able to secure lower insurance premiums.
4. Improving Driving Skills: Traffic school courses are designed to teach safe driving techniques and strategies for avoiding accidents and traffic violations. By participating in a course, you can enhance your driving skills and become a safer driver.

Eligibility for Traffic School

Eligibility for traffic school varies depending on the jurisdiction and the specific circumstances of your case. In general, you may be eligible to enroll in traffic school if:

1. Court Approval: The court handling your excessive speeding case must approve your enrollment in traffic school. This is typically determined on a case-by-case basis, and approval is not guaranteed.
2. Time Since Last Course: In many jurisdictions, there is a waiting period between traffic school courses. You may be required to wait a specific period (e.g., 12 or 24 months) since your last course before being eligible to enroll again.
3. No Serious Traffic Violations: Some jurisdictions may only allow drivers with minor traffic violations to participate in traffic school. If your excessive speeding offense is considered too severe, you may not be eligible for a course.
4. Valid Driver’s License: You must possess a valid driver’s license in the state where you received the excessive speeding ticket to be eligible for traffic school.

Attending traffic school after receiving an excessive speeding ticket can provide valuable benefits, such as reducing the consequences of the violation and potentially lowering insurance premiums. However, eligibility for these courses depends on your specific circumstances and the jurisdiction in which you received the ticket. If you are facing an excessive speeding ticket, consider hiring a knowledgeable traffic attorney, such as The Harding Firm, to help you navigate the legal process and explore your options for traffic school. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn how we can help you.