Why a speeding and reckless driving ticket can be more harmful than being charged with possession of marijuana in North Carolina
You might be thinking I’m being dramatic or just trying to make a point. After all, how can a simple speeding ticket be worse than being charged with possessing illegal drugs? Well, the truth is that if you get pulled over and given a Greensboro traffic ticket for speeding 26 miles per hour over the posted limit or driving faster than 89 miles per hour, you are facing more serious consequences and a more expensive case than someone charged with possessing a small amount of marijuana.
To start, most times someone is pulled over by police for a high speeding ticket they are also charged with reckless driving. If you went to court and entered a guilty plea to those traffic charges you would end up with a class 2 misdemeanor on your criminal record for the reckless driving charge and your license would be revoked for 30 days or up to one year for the speeding charge. Those penalties are in addition to the over $200 you would pay in court costs and fines.
Just to compare that with the marijuana charge I mentioned. If it were less than ½ ounce of marijuana and you pled guilty, you would end up with a class 3 misdemeanor (a lower level than reckless driving) on your record that could never result in jail time. Your court costs and fines would be about the same. With the marijuana example, many people with no prior criminal record can even qualify for a special program for first-time offenders and even get their case dismissed. There is no such hope for high speed and reckless driving cases.
What We Can Do to Help
In Guilford County, before a District Court Judge will even entertain the possibility of accepting a reduced plea, your attorney has to show that you have completed one hour of volunteer work for each mile over the speed limit that you were charged with driving by the officer. You will also have to attend a driving school class and your lawyer will need to present a certificate of completion to the DA. Then, it may be possible for our lawyer in Greensboro or High Point to negotiate a reduction in your speeding and reckless driving case. Every case will depend on your driving history, the speed you were charged with driving and the posted speed limit.
Unfortunately, this type of case is not eligible for a reduction to an improper equipment charge. That means that even if your lawyer can get your case reduced, you may still be facing points on your license and on your insurance. For most people, license points are annoying but are not a problem unless they have racked up multiple traffic tickets in a short time and did not hire a lawyer. The insurance points are the most painful because that is what can cause your insurance premiums to increase and stay at the higher rate for a three year period.
Be sure to talk to your lawyer about your driving history, the specifics of your case and how the end result of your case might affect your driver's license or car insurance. You will also want to get a good idea of what the fines and court costs may be in your case so that you can be prepared to make the payment after the case is finished. There are great things a Greensboro speeding ticket lawyer can do to improve the circumstances of your case if you’re pulled over for driving at a high speed but you just need to know that you will also have to carry your weight. If you don’t chip in by completing driving school and volunteer work, your license, insurance and wallet will suffer.
While it may seem like you just got a simple speeding ticket in Greensboro, understanding the high costs and extra work it takes to get a good outcome in these cases can help your lawyer get you a positive outcome. Working together with our Greensboro speeding ticket lawyer can resolve your case with a positive outcome that keeps you on the road and your criminal record in good shape.