Related topics
Speeding Tickets in Georgia
The severity of a speeding ticket — and its repercussions — varies greatly in Georgia, depending on your age, driving record, the location (city or county) where you received the ticket and the violation itself, or how far above the posted speed limit you were driving.
Understanding speeding laws and consequences
There are many ways to handle speeding tickets without an attorney, but you need to have the relevant information regarding your options before making a decision to just pay the fine, or alternately, to contest the ticket in court. Generally speaking, it is usually not in your best interests to pay the ticket online.
Fines
The fine for a routine speeding ticket in Georgia generally averages less than $300, but fines can go much higher — especially when you consider that state-mandated surcharges add about 40 percent to the cost of a simple traffic ticket. O.C.G.A. 40-6-1 does, however, set a cap on what may be collected when it is the driver’s first offense: If you are driving more than 5 mph but no more than 10 mph, the fine should not be more than $25.00. Between 11 and 14, the maximum fine is $100.00. The fine for speeding 15 mph to18 mph is $125.00. Between 19 mph and 24 mph the maximum fine is $150.00. And finally, a citation for 24 mph through 34 mph will be capped at $500.00. (Remember these numbers refer to the base fine, so additional surcharges will be added on). If it’s not your first offense, though, be prepared to pay up to $1,000 maximum fine. And if your violation is considered a “Super Speeder” you’ll have to pay an additional $200 to the DDS.
Points
In addition to a hefty fine, speeding tickets come with points: anywhere from 2 to 6 per citation, depending on your speed v. the speed limit. A couple of points might not seem like a big deal, but if you accumulate 15 of them in 2 years, the state of Georgia will suspend your license. Some people opt to take a nolo plea because it is a way to avoid points on their record, but that plea will still go on your record, which means it is visible to insurance companies, and you could still face increased insurance rates. Keep in mind that a “nolo” plea is only available to use once every five years; unless you are close to accumulating 15 points within a 2 year period, it is best to “save” that nolo plea in the case of future similar infractions when it can serve you better.
Under 21 Drivers
Almost any speeding ticket is a big deal for under 21 drivers. There is an automatic suspension with a 24mph or more speeding violation. This will be important to keep in mind when you go to court. You will also want to ask if the Judge imposes her own suspension for those under 21 drivers, which happens with some frequency through the courts in and around Atlanta.
Most judges and prosecutors want to send a strong message to younger drivers, which can result in harsh and overbearing sentencing on speeding cases, which can conflict with a driver’s desire for damage control.
If you find yourself in court and it feels like the options are unusually severe, you can always ask the Judge for a second court date to come back with an attorney.
Other Possible Penalties
Other possible consequences will be hyperspecific, depending on your Judge and Prosecutor. Suppose you are in a more harsh jurisdiction and the court wants to send a strong message to a driver. In that case, additional penalties can include supervised probation, court-ordered installation of an internal speed detector so that probation can monitor whether you are driving safely, drug + alcohol testing, jail, community service, classes, and court-ordered license suspension.
Usually, the folks facing these more serious consequences have one or more of the following circumstances:
- High speed
- Prior speeding conviction
- Under 21 driver
Out-of-State License + Online Payments
If you pay your speeding ticket online, you should know that most traffic courts operate their online payment system with a “buyer beware” type of attitude. What that means is that the online payment systems allow people to pay online which is treated as a guilty plea and may result in a license suspension. However, the driver is never warned by the online system of the specific suspension.
For some drivers, paying online makes a lot of sense, and it can be a great option. Make sure you are familiar with the license consequences before you do. Submitting payment is the same as a guilty plea; it can be expensive to hire an attorney to withdraw a plea if something goes wrong.
Other than possible suspensions, the primary downside to handling your ticket online is that you will have no opportunity to improve your outcome. You will usually pay a higher fine and not be considered for a reduction or dismissal.
If you have an out-of-state license, the court will send your home state notice of the conviction. And your license may be impacted once it is received. Make sure you research how your state treats speeding tickets because once it is reported to your home state, they apply their own penalties.
Schedule a consultation
Contact Erin
"*" indicates required fields
Criminal Defense for Speeding Charges
We guarantee damage control – we have full confidence in our ability to improve the outcome of your traffic case. We will not keep a fee when we are not able to help.
We cover court appearances – we understand that appearing in court can be a hassle. We handle most, if not all, court dates on your behalf, ensuring that you don’t have to be there.
We investigate license reinstatement – if you need to get your license reinstated, we can help you determine the next steps.
We offer support and resources – our team works closely with you to ensure you have a seamless experience throughout the process. We provide assistance 24/7 and make sure you have all the information you need to get things done as quickly and painlessly as possible.