It is frustrating to know that there is a cop rushing up behind you and that you might get accused of speeding. You may not have thought you were going over the speed limit, or you might have sped up to get around a much slower vehicle and breached the speed limit only for a few seconds.
Whatever the reason is, if you’re now facing a speeding ticket, you may think that you should just pay it and move on with your life. Really, you have another option.
Defending against a speeding ticket
Defending yourself against a speeding ticket isn’t a bad idea, because it could help you get the ticket dropped, save you money and help you avoid more expensive insurance rates. Additionally, if you had other tickets or traffic violations in the past, fighting this one could help protect your license.
What are the penalties for speeding in Washington?
Speeding tickets come with fines, primarily, though certain behaviors, like reckless driving, may have more significant penalties.
The kinds of fines you’ll be looking at will depend on your alleged speed at the time of the traffic stop.
Speeding ticket fines for tickets when the posted speed limit is 40 mph or lower are:
- $125 for going one to five mph over the speed limit.
- $136 for going between six and 10 mph over the speed limit.
- $166 for going 11 to 15 mph over the limit.
The fines keep increasing the higher the speed becomes. If you’re traveling at 35 mph or more over the speed limit, then the fine is a shocking $423.
In areas where the speed limit is already higher, the fines change. If the posted speed limit is over 40 mph:
- Speeding one to five mph over the limit comes at a cost of $105.
- Going six to 10 mph over the limit comes with a ticket for $125.
Speeding ticket costs continue to increase in this category as well, and they max out at $423.
Speeding tickets can be costly, so it’s helpful to defend against them to try to get them dropped or to get the penalties reduced. It’s your right, so before you pay a ticket, think seriously about if you want to plead guilty by covering the expense.