Speeding is something that happens on roadways all the time. While it may seem like a minor infraction, speeding is a factor in most accidents. Law enforcement, therefore, tries to maintain speed limits and will pull you over if they catch you going over the posted speed.
Money Talk News explains that if you receive a speeding ticket, you may not think much about paying the fine and moving on, but this could be a huge mistake. The costs of a speeding ticket go well beyond the upfront expenses of just paying the ticket.
The upfront costs
The actual cost of the ticket is only a small portion of what you will pay if you decide to just pay your ticket instead of fighting it in court. You may have multiple charges on one ticket beyond speeding. This will add to the fines. You will also pay court costs for the ticket.
The impact on insurance
Insurance rate hikes are going to cost you quite a bit more. It depends on the actual charge. For example, excessive speeding, going over 30 miles per hour past the speed limit, can raise your rates by an average of 30%. Even a minimal speeding ticket, going only 1 to 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, could result in an average rate hike of 20%.
If you had other charges along with speeding, such as not wearing a seat belt or texting while driving, then you can expect the increase in your insurance rates to be even higher than 20 to 30%. Also, keep in mind that each insurance company makes its own guidelines for increasing rates. These are simply average figures. Your insurer could raise your rates by a higher percentage.
Typically, your only option, once an insurer does raise your rates, is to wait it out. After a period of driving without any further tickets, your insurer will probably drop your rates. However, in the meantime, you must pay for that ticket every time you pay your premium due to the rise in your rates.