Washington State Speeding Ticket Laws

Most people have been issued a speeding ticket at one point in their lives. Unfortunately, some speeding tickets can affect insurance premiums and even employment. If you have recently been ticketed for driving over the speed limit, Callahan Law is here to help. By hiring an experienced traffic defense firm to fight your case, you can increase the chances of winning or even having your Washington State speeding case dismissed.

In Washington State, the citation (ticket) you receive will give you options for paying the fine, mitigating or contesting the infraction. You should immediately consult with us as to whether you should contest the citation, because you have only a certain number of days to do so.  If the fine is not paid within that timeframe, or if you do not request to contest or mitigate the speeding infraction, you could lose your driver’s license and the fine may be sent to collections—both entailing bigger problems than a mere speeding ticket!

If the matter is a criminal offense, the citation will indicate the date and time of any mandatory court appearance. If you are required to show up in court, it means the offense you were charged with is a serious violation of the law. In this case, speaking with a traffic attorney is strongly recommended.

Good drivers or first-time violators may be eligible for deferment, which is left to the discretion of the judge presiding over the case. Deferment means that if you do not commit another speeding offense within a specified time (typically a year), your ticket will not be reported on your driving record. However, if you do receive another ticket, both tickets will be placed on your record, and you may face a substantial increase in insurance rates.

You may wonder if hiring a traffic attorney to help with a speeding ticket is worth the cost. In Washington State, a speeding ticket will stay on your record for three years. If you look at the extra money you will be required to pay for auto insurance during that time, you may find that having legal representation on your side is less costly in the long run.  In addition, many employers require their employees to have a clean driving record. In fact, commercial drivers may lose their commercial driver’s license endorsement and possibly, their employment for having a certain number of traffic violations (depending on the type of violation), or for having even one specific traffic violation on their record. An experienced traffic defense attorney will fight to keep your speeding violation from affecting your livelihood.

Are you interested in learning more about how a traffic attorney can help with your speeding ticket? Contact Callahan Law today!