We all know the feeling. You look in your rear view mirror and see flashing lights. You look down and realize that you are going faster than the posted speed limit. You pull over to the side of the road and get ready to hand over your drivers license and proof of insurance to the officer.

When the officer writes you a Missouri speeding ticket, one of your options is to simply sign the back of the ticket and mail in the fine and court costs. By doing so, you are pleading guilty to the Missouri speeding ticket. Following your guilty plea, the state will assess 2-3 points to your permanent driving record. Points, even if they don’t cause you to lose your license, will cause your insurance rates to rise by as much as 22% for a three year period. If you have a commercial driver’s license (CDL), the consequences of points could make you ineligible to drive for your job. Several minor traffic tickets can lead to a license suspension of one year for drivers who have accumulated eighteen (18) points within eighteen months. You can also lose your driving privileges immediately for other traffic violations, such as driving while suspended, driving while revoked or driving while intoxicated (DWI).

If you have recently received a traffic ticket or other moving violation, the worst thing you can do is ignore it. Failing to properly dispose of a traffic ticket can result in extra fines, court costs, and even a warrant being issued for your arrest.

If you work with an attorney who is experienced in traffic law matters, you may experience a far different outcome.

What are the possible outcomes if I hire an attorney to help with my Missouri speeding ticket?

While we cannot guarantee a specific outcome with your case, some common dispositions include:

1. Amendment to a No-Point violation: Your ticket is amended to a lesser charge, typically a non-moving violation or defective equipment charge, which do not carry points.

2. Amendment to a Reduced Point violation: A reduction in the amount of points appearing on your Missouri Driving Record.

3. A Suspended Imposition of Sentence (SIS): You plead guilty to the violation as charged and receive a probationary period. If you receive no further violations during the probationary period, your ticket never is posted to your official driving record. However, if you do get another ticket during the probationary period, now you have TWO tickets to deal with.

4. Dismissal: Your case is dismissed outright with no penalty, fine or court costs due.

We have a very good record of keeping our clients’ driving records clean. Our success in dependent upon a number of factors, including how clean your driving record is before the current violation. We cannot guarantee any outcome as no two traffic cases are exactly alike.

Contact us today if you’d like to attempt to keep a Missouri speeding ticket off of your driving record and reduce the impact the ticket will have on your insurance rates. Call us at (573)686-2459.

Photo Courtesy Flickr user Doug Wertman