“Hey, it’s just a failure to stop ticket, right?”
“It’s nothing too serious.”
“It’s my first ticket in years, so it’s not a problem.”
“I don’t need to spend money on a lawyer, I can defend myself.”
If you’ve thought or said something like any one or all of the above after getting a traffic ticket, you may not be aware of the benefits of hiring a traffic ticket lawyer. Or, more accurately, you might not realize the cost of not having professional legal representation to defend against a traffic ticket.
Consider the Following When Thinking About Hiring a Traffic Ticket Lawyer
Interestingly, the cost of hiring a professional traffic ticket defence team doesn’t have so much to do with the actual cost of hiring a professional traffic ticket defence paralegal. If you don’t have legal representation, it could cost you a lot more.
- Fines & Demerit Points – The first cost of a traffic ticket that a lawyer can help you avoid is the direct costs of the fine for the ticket, and the demerit points that will be added to your driving record. Its a mistake to think that demerit points don’t have a cost. First, your car insurance rates may go up based on the number of points you have. Second, your driver’s license could be suspended after only 9 demerit points (6 points for new drivers with G1 and G2 licenses), and it will be suspended for at least 30 days after you get 15 demerit points (9 for new drivers).
- Car Insurance Rates – This may be the largest cost of being found guilty of a traffic charge. The guilty verdict stays on your driving record for three years. There’s no saying how much your insurance rates will go up, if at all. But, even for a first-time minor speeding charge, rates can increase by 10%. The second ticket could bump things up by 25% – and rates could go up by 100% for a third conviction.
- Even if Your Car Insurance Rates Don’t Go Up, You Still Have to Worry About Cost – Some car insurance companies offer a feature where your first minor speeding ticket will not affect your rates. That’s good to know. But watch out if you get a second ticket in the next three years.
To learn more about how to protect yourself against speeding tickets, check out our post “What To Do If You Get Caught In A Speed Trap”.
