Speeding tickets are just the worst. I mean, am I right? They seem to come out of nowhere, and when they do, it’s usually when your eyes stray from the speedometer for just a fraction of a second. The worst part is trying to figure out how you're going to pay for it. Cops hand over the ticket without any regard to your financial situation and then leave you with critical decision-making. You have the option to put in the time (and potentially money) to try and contest the ticket, or to just shell out the cash right away and be done with it. Frustration doesn't even begin to come close to describing how much you must be annoyed right now. To assist you with making that unsettling resolution -- “To pay or not to pay” - here is information on how much a NY speeding ticket costs… but please don't shoot the messenger.

Ugh, Points - How Many Points on Your Driving Record for Speeding?

Points, in this case, are not the good kind you earn when you do something correctly. No, these are the kind that, when you add them together and the sum equals 11 (in an 18-month period), also equal a license suspension. More bad news in that going just 1 mile over the speed limit (just one small moving violation), can land you 3 points. Go 31 miles over, and you're at 8, and go 41 miles over and you're automatically at 11. There are Driver Responsibility Assessment fines when you get to be more than 6 points deep, in addition to the ticket charges. These fines go for years, as in $100 a year for 3 years with an additional $25 a year for each point you accumulate past 6 points.

How Much Your Speeding Tickets Costs in Dollars

You already know that these fines aren't going to be cheap. For a full list of charges depending on the violation, see the chart below. Summed up though, you're looking to spend a minimum of $133 for going less than 10 mph over the speed limit. A court surcharge fee from $88-$93 stays the same no matter what infraction you commit. Most speeding fines stay consistent if you're found speeding on a restricted highway or in a work zone. However, if you are caught speeding during school hours in a school zone, then those fines will double. If you are caught failing to reduce your speed when there's an ambulance or other special hazard vehicles trying to get by, then your fine will be $150. Get caught drag racing, and you're looking at a minimum of $525. These fines seem somewhat low compared to a Switzerland motorist charged $290,000 for speeding, which broke a previous record.

We’re all at risk for speeding throughout our driving lifetimes; it's obviously not going to be an easy burden to bear. A police officer may nail you for going 26 mph in a 25-mph zone, but it's not very comforting to know the penalties should they decide that's enough to pull you over.

Reduce Points with New York Defensive Driving Course

You may not be able to run away from the fines of a New York speeding ticket, but you are able to walk away without the points on your record. You can have up to 4 points taken off your driving record by taking a NY Defensive Driving course. This will comes in handy if you are nearing your 11 points mark.

Additional Costs

Along with money and points, there may be other costs that accompany a traffic citation. Some judges will suspend a motorist for just one 8-point or 11-point speeding ticket conviction. Others may suspend an offender for two speeding convictions. The DMV can suspend your license if you accumulate 11 or more points within 18 months (from speeding convictions or otherwise). Finally, three speeding convictions within 18 months will automatically result in a mandatory 6-month revocation of your driver’s license.

Another cost of a speeding ticket conviction is higher automobile insurance rates. By law, a New York insurance company cannot raise your rates for one speeding conviction of 15 mph above the limit (or less) if you have an otherwise clean record within 36 months. For a higher speeding ticket or multiple convictions, however, your auto insurance rates can be raised. Stop the speeding ticket from affecting insurance rates. The only option to address an increase is to complete a Defensive Driver Course, which can save you 10% off your insurance premium (and deduct up to 4 points).

Hire a Traffic Ticket Lawyer

You can also fight your ticket using a traffic lawyer. For over 20 years, Weiss & Associates NYC law firm has helped thousands of motorists each year fight their traffic tickets throughout New York State and keep their licenses as clean as possible. If you have a vehicle and traffic law question, feel free to call them at 212-683-7337 or email at lawyer@nytrafficticket.com for a free consultation.

As outlined above, there are many costs associated with a New York speeding ticket conviction. Motorists should, therefore, always be aware of speed limits and pay close attention one's speedometer at all times.

Speeding Tickets in Different States:

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