Well, it happened. You got a speeding ticket. Maybe it was your first speeding ticket…or maybe you’ve traveled down this road before (pun not intended). And getting a speeding ticket (or two or three) can have a serious impact on your budget. Beyond that, you may be required to pay the fine and court fee for the speeding ticket. And, if your insurance company decides to pull your driving record when it’s time to renew, the number of speeding tickets you’ve received makes you more of a risk according to the insurance company. This means your insurance rates could go up! Speaking of risk, the State of Washington can suspend the driver’s license of any driver who receives six speeding tickets in a 12-month period. Yikes!
With such serious consequences, you’re probably wondering whether you need a speeding ticket lawyer in Washington to help you take care of it. The answer is yes. (But we are a service that helps people connect with a local qualified lawyer to fight their ticket, so we’re definitely biased.) For most speeding tickets, hiring a lawyer can be very beneficial. Think of it this way – the State of Washington uses cameras and the police to accuse drivers of speeding. They expect that most drivers will pay their fines and not fight the ticket. Often, drivers who do go the extra step and show up on their court date to fight their ticket are still forced to pay because they don’t understand the laws or the defenses available to them as drivers. A speeding ticket lawyer can appear on your behalf (often without requiring you to even go to court) and work to defend you against the allegation made against you. Because lawyers understand traffic laws, they can help improve your chances of having your speeding ticket dismissed, deferred, or reduced.
How Much Will a Speeding Ticket Cost in Washington?
The fine for a speeding ticket in Washington depends on the posted speed limit, the alleged speed you were driving at the time the ticket was issued and, most importantly, the local jurisdiction. While the Washington Supreme Court provides a Monetary Penalty Schedule for Infractions, that document itself states that a local court may provide for different (usually higher) penalty. If the posted speed limit is 40 mph or less, a speeding ticket can cost you anywhere from $43 to $188, depending upon if you are going from 5 to 36 miles over the speed limit.
If the posted speed limit is more than 40 mph, a speeding ticket will cost you as “little” as $33 for a ticket up to 5 mph over the speed limit to $188 for 41 or more mph over the limit.
School Zone Tickets
School zone tickets can be a bit trickier. According to RCW 46.61.440 and RCW 46.63.110 speeding through a school zone tickets can be issued during the school year, with the exception of school holidays. According to this non-lawyer respondant on Washington's KIRO News Radio, the question of when a given area is considered a "school zone" is determined by local cities or counties. The fines for school zone speeding tickets can vary. In Seattle, the cost is $237.
While judges can be a bit more hesitant to dismiss or reduce school zone tickets because children a good attorney can work to try to get the ticket deferred or reduced if not dismissed.
Can You Get a Speeding Ticket Deferral in Washington?
A speeding ticket deferral refers to an agreement made with the court that you will pay a fee and that the speeding ticket will not be part of your driving record. A deferral for a speeding ticket isn’t guaranteed. In fact, you must apply for the deferral program within 15 days after receiving the speeding ticket or after you’ve received a court date. You can apply for a deferral online, in person at the district court clerk’s office, or during your court hearing. However, there are some things you need to know:
- You can only receive on deferral for a moving violation every seven years.
- To apply, your driver’s license must be valid.
- You cannot have a deferral or a deferred finding within the last seven years from any court in the State of Washington for a moving or non-moving violation.
- You cannot apply for deferral if the speeding ticket is for a CDL.
- You’re required to pay a non-refundable administrative fee at the judge’s discretion; in some counties, it is between $150 and $175.
- If you receive any other traffic violation during the length of deferral, your deferral may be revoked.
- You may also be required to attend and successfully complete traffic school.
Remember that if you receive six speeding tickets within a 12 month period, you may have your license suspended. Most of us can’t imagine speeding that often, but we’ve all had a bad few months or year. As a result, many attorneys recommend always fighting a traffic ticket and “saving” your deferral. That way, if you have one of those really bad (or really “fast”) years and you accrue five tickets in a short time period, you can use your deferral in the event that an attorney you’ve hired is unable to get you out of number six.
How to Fight a Speeding Ticket in Washington State
If you’re not interested in or eligible for deferment, you’re probably wondering whether you should or whether you can fight the speeding ticket. While we're not a law firm, our mission at Off The Record is to make it simple and easy to find an attorney to fight your traffic ticket. Therefore, if you are considering fighting your ticket, we always recommend that you get in touch with a traffic attorney. However, if you are considering fighting it yourself or want some more information about fighting your ticket, here are some tips on how to fight a speeding ticket in Washington State:
- Do not plead guilty before the ticket is written. We don't recommend trying to talk your way out of the ticket. You can’t give any reason the officer hasn’t heard before. And, just like we've all seen on TV, anything you say can be used against you.
- Consider contesting if the ticket came in the mail as a result of a camera. Speeding ticket cameras are supposed to help keep us safe, but they aren’t perfect. Were you actually driving your car when the ticket was issued? Washington State doesn’t allow the use of traffic camera images to be used to find whomever was actually driving the car. If you get a ticket, you can contest it and swear, under oath, that you weren’t driving. Of course, you should only do this if you weren’t driving since you will be under oath.
- Check that all the significant information on the speeding ticket is correct. If it isn’t, you might be able to contest it. Like the rest of us, police officers make mistakes. These mistakes might include small things such as misspelling the model of your vehicle. These probably won’t suffice to get you out of your ticket. However, be sure to review the significant information for a serious mistakes. Double check the infraction they allege you committed, the place they state it happened, as well as the date and time they allege it happened. Under the right circumstances, these could be sufficient to get the infraction dismissed.
- Find out whether the officer filed the ticket on time. In Washington State, police officers have to file tickets within five days of issuing them. If they don’t, the ticket must be dismissed. Of course, the only way that you can use this as a way to beat your speeding ticket is if you or your lawyer check. You can be sure that the court most likely isn’t in the business of following up and doing the math.
Our best tip for fighting a speeding ticket in Washington? Rely on an experienced lawyer. Here at Off the Record, we’ve created a process to make fighting a speeding ticket as easy for you as clicking a few buttons. Sure, you could try to do it yourself and play Elle Woods, but that can come back to bite you. Here at Off the Record, we gather key information about your ticket then help connect you with an experienced lawyer. You don’t need to write letters asking for evidence, go out of your way to look up everything written on the speeding ticket, or chase down filing dates.
All you have to do is take a picture of your ticket, answer a few easy questions, and we’ll match you with a lawyer. Your lawyer will contact you within 24 business hours and you can check the status of your case at any time. You don’t even have to go to court. And the best part? We review your ticket for free. We’ll provide you with some options and help you decide whether you should connect with a lawyer to fight your speeding ticket. If you decide to use our service, every attorney we work with agrees to offer a money back guarantee if your ticket isn’t successfully resolved.
This information on this site is provided solely for informational purposes. It is not legal advice. Off The Record is not a law firm, does not provide legal services, and is not a lawyer referral service. The attorney listings on the site are paid attorney advertisements. Off the Record has not evaluated this content for accuracy, completeness, or changes in law. No representation is made here about your specific rights. Off The Record is not a substitute for an attorney or a law firm. Legal advice can only be provided by a licensed lawyer.
Image credit: Robert Couse-Baker; License: CC BY 2.0
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