Driving in California can be a lot of fun. Maybe you’re taking a trip down the Pacific Coast Highway. Maybe you’re battling traffic to get to or from Los Angeles. Whatever your reason for driving in California while visiting this state, you need to be careful. This is because you can still get a speeding ticket even when you are not driving in your home state. Getting a speeding ticket, especially out of state, can be a hassle. Here you can learn about California’s speeding ticket laws. As an out of state driver, you can also learn about specific issues related to your situation.
Fines And Fees
Traffic tickets in California can become expensive very quickly. This is due to surcharges and additional penalty fees. Keep this in mind when you get your speeding ticket. The base price of the ticket might be reasonable, but with the additional charges, your ticket could cost you hundreds of dollars. There is a 20% surcharge on all California traffic tickets. Start with this charge when trying to figure out what you will owe for your ticket. Other common fees include:
- County Penalty Assessment.
- DNA Identification Fund Penalty Assessment.
- Court Facility Construction Penalty Assessment.
- State Penalty Assessment.
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Penalty Assessment.
To find out about additional charges related to your ticket, you can contact the county court assigned to your case. A court will be assigned based on where you are pulled over and charged with speeding. This information will be listed on your speeding ticket.
How To Plead
When charged with a speeding ticket in California, you have two main options. You can plead guilty or no contest to the ticket and pay it. Or, you can plead not guilty and fight it in court. If you plead guilty or no contest, you will have to pay the ticket. Alternatively, you can pay to go to traffic school. But, this has to be done in the state of California. This can be difficult if you live out of state. If you plead not guilty, it means that you will have to appear in court.
Again, if you live out of state, this can make things difficult. It might not make sense to spend the time and money on returning in California to appear in court. In the long run, it could be cheaper to just pay the fine. But, keep in mind that the state of California will assess a point against your license if you are found guilty of speeding. This can affect your ability to drive if you have points assessed against your license for other reasons.
Getting a speeding ticket in California might seem overwhelming. If you need help with this process, consider contacting a motor vehicle violation lawyer. Such a lawyer can walk you through this process and help you decide what is best for you. To talk to a lawyer today, click here.
