"Getting a speeding ticket can definitely ruin your day, but it can also ruin your insurance prices."
As someone who spends a significant amount of time in traffic court, I am astonished by number of individuals who take the time to appear in court only to plead guilty to the offense. Not only do they face the immediate consequences of paying a fine and court costs, but they will also encounter future repercussions when their insurance company discovers that they now have a moving violation on their driving record.
The same is true when you pay your fine out of court. In Missouri, when you pay your fine on the Missouri court website, Casenet, you are pleading guilty and "signing" a guilty plea waiving your rights to counsel and have your case heard by the judge. You are also waiving your opportunity to negotiate with the prosecuting attorney and accepting the punishment for the offense. While the courts are required to give you these notices of rights you are waiving, they don't talk about the long-term effect of a moving violation appearing on your driving record.
Once you plead guilty, the court sends a record of the offense to the Department of Revenue in Jefferson City. If you have a Missouri license, the charge and the points appear on your driving record. While it's possible to have the points reduced over time, the offense itself will still be visible on your driving record. If you have an out-of-state license, Missouri sends a record of the offense to your home state and they will assess the penalty in that state in the same way they would if you had committed the offense in their state.
I often compare a driving record to a credit report - you need to protect it from any negative marks from the very beginning because once something negative is reported, it's difficult to remove it. Having an experienced traffic lawyer like Jason Fauss to represent you and work to avoid these moving violations from appearing on your driving record is often a much better financial decision in the long run.
Here are some articles that discuss the impact that ONE ticket can have on your insurance rates:
How a Speeding Ticket Affects Your Insurance - Nerdwallet - 2024
How Does a Speeding Ticket Impact Your Car Insurance in Missouri - Fox 2 Now - 2021
Bankrate posted the following article in 2024 and stated, "there's not much you can do to avoid getting a higher premium." What you can do is hire The Fauss Law Firm, LLC to handle your ticket and avoid the moving violation and higher insurance premium that comes with it.
How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in Missouri
Even the insurance companies post articles discussing how having one speeding ticket appear on your driving record will cause your insurance to rise. Liberty Mutual Insurance company states in this article on their website, "On average, car insurance typically goes up about 25% after a speeding ticket." Insurance companies will look at the past 3-5 years on your driving record when determining your rates. While the increased cost to have a ticket amended might seem like a lot at the time, the long-term impact of a moving violation on your driving record will usually be much more expensive.
Liberty Mutual Insurance - Speeding Tickets, Parking Tickets and Insurance Costs
Progressive Insurance - Do Speeding and Parking Tickets Affect Insurance Rates?
Every traffic violation has specific consequences, and it is important to be aware of any alternatives to pleading to the offense with which you are charged. Contact traffic attorney Jason Fauss online or call 314-291-8899 to figure out your options and see if you might want to go for a different plea deal rather than simply plead guilty and take what the prosecutor and court gives you.
