Speeding is something that happens on Ohio roadways all the time. Going a little over the speed limit seems to be natural for most drivers. Even if you are vigilant about following speed limits, there may be a time when your foot gets a little heavy, and you creep over the legal limit. Getting pulled over and getting a speeding ticket can really happen to anyone.
While law enforcement hands out speeding tickets every day, this does not mean you should take things lightly. Any traffic violation can come with unintended consequences. Drive Safely explains that just one speeding ticket can lead to issues you may never have thought about. Here are three possible consequences to keep in mind before you hop in your car again.
- Court costs
With a speeding ticket, you usually have the option to pay it and avoid having to go to court. However, if you want to fight the ticket, you will have to go in front of a judge. If you lose your case, then you will have to pay court costs and other fines associated with the ticket. This can get expensive.
- Loss of your license
The impact on your license depends on how fast you were going and where you were driving. In some cases, speeding can lead to losing your license. This is especially true if you were going well over the speed limit, driving in a protected area such as a school zone, or have had multiple speeding tickets prior to this one.
- Insurance rate increase
If your speeding ticket results in points on your license, then you can expect your insurance company will react by raising your rates. Insurance companies focus on risk. If you are speeding, it increases your risk of an accident. Therefore, the insurance company wants more money to protect you since it is more likely you will be in an accident.