North Carolinians pay lower premiums for their car insurance than drivers in most other states. But that applies only to drivers who don’t get caught speeding. Those with a lead foot on the gas find that they have many additional expenses as a result of their need for speed.
Simply going 15 miles in excess of the speed limit costs $30, but there is also $188 in court costs. But that’s only the beginning, as drivers accrue points on their licenses.
The state Department of Insurance runs a separate system dealing with violations that affect car insurance. Drivers rack up points that can increase their insurance premiums for as long as three years. When calculating the actual cost of speeding tickets, the figure is over 53 times the expense of the ticket itself. Drivers on average pay $1,619.63 for their $30 speeding ticket.
Drivers who get speeding tickets in the state can hire an attorney to negotiate the ticket down to 10 mph over the limit, which carries lesser penalties and no points. But this only works if the driver has had no other violations in the three years prior.
Drivers also can enter Prayers for Judgment Continued where they technically are convicted, but still avoid insurance consequences. But households are only permitted a single PJC in each three-year period. Getting a second ticket within that time frame means you’ll be on the hook financially for both tickets.
It can be a worthwhile investment to pay attorney’s fees and fight the ticket in court in order to avoid the future, expensive consequences of getting points on your license. Our attorneys help clients avoid excessive fees and higher auto insurance premiums.