Speeding Ticket Attorney in Sumter County – Center Hill Speeding Ticket Lawyer
Sumter County, lovingly referred to as “Hog County” features rural and urban aspects in a beautiful setting. The cities of Wildwood, Center Hill, Bushnell, Coleman and Webster are traversed by popular highways and roads such as I-75, US 301, State Road 44 and the Florida Turnpike. The Sumter County farmers market draws in a wide array of local and international traffic. This is a place for many to get away and it is also a permanent home for approximately 93,420 residents.
Its beautiful climate is not without flaw. Sumter County is notorious for hurricanes and other severe weather conditions. Severe weather conditions when combined with heavy foot and motor vehicle traffic can lead to driving mishaps. In 2013, local law enforcement issued 6,434 speeding citations to drivers who might have been victims of unavoidable weather or road conditions. These citations were handed out by the Florida Highway Patrol. If you have been accused of traveling at an unlawful speed in Sumter County, a Sumter County speeding ticket attorney might be aware of possible defenses you haven’t even considered.
The First 30 Days after Receiving any Citation
The first 30 days after you have received a citation are arguably the most important. This is the typical time span allotted for drivers who wish to plead not guilty. If after considering the consequences you have decided to fight back against your charge, a speeding ticket attorney in Wildwood can fill out the necessary legal documents and mail them to the Clerk of the Court at 209 North Florida Street, Bushnell, Florida 33513 in a timely manner. This will save you the hassle of possibly entering incorrect information or accidentally mailing your plea to the wrong address. Failure to respond to a citation within 30 days will result in an automatic guilty verdict. The same is true if a driver decides to simply pay off a fine.
The Consequences of Being Found Guilty of Speeding
There are many consequences to a guilty speeding verdict the driver should consider. The most commonly known is the fine which should be printed on your citation. Drivers accused of exceeding the speed limit by 6-9 mph receive a typical fine of $80.50. This fine will be much higher if the driver was clocked at the same speed while in a construction zone or a school zone. As speeding increase, so do fines. Fines on the higher end can be $600 or more.
In addition to fines, there are also court fees and points to be considered. The average number of points a driver found guilty of speeding accrues in the state of Florida is between three and four. This number is based solely on speed with speeds of 16 mph or higher resulting in an automatic four points. In order to maintain the privilege to drive in the state of Florida, a driver cannot receive more than 12 points in a year, 18 points in a year and a half or 24 points over the course of 36 months. Anything above that can result in license suspension and all of the consequences that coincide. Points remain on a driver’s record for anywhere from 3 to 5 years doing a great deal of damage along the way.
Due to the fact that law enforcement, car insurance companies and employers reserve the right to judge individuals based on their driving records, points on a driver’s license can result in any or all of the following:
- License Suspension
- Job Loss
- Less Career Advancement Opportunities
- Less General Career Opportunities
- Dropped Insurance Coverage
- Excessively High Insurance Premiums
- A Reputation for Being a “High Risk Driver”
A Sumter County speeding ticket lawyer can help you to avoid the consequences by aiding you in building an excellent courtroom defense. Your Bushnell speeding ticket attorney will have more familiarity with the local laws and roads than you do. There are many alternatives to points, fines and other penalties that you might not have even considered on your own. Get in touch with a speeding ticket lawyer in Sumter County to learn more about how you can defend yourself against this reputation damaging accusation.