NC Citation - 85 in 65 - please help!

[djwhiplash2001]

What is the name of your state? North Carolina

Hello. My name is John. I was pulled by a state trooper on I-85, given a citation for doing 85 in a 65. I'm 18, and a first-time offender.

I'm confused.... what does this mean for me? Do I get points for it? Pay fines? Should I get a lawyer?

Also, since it's 20 over, I must appear in court. Yet, I didn't have to sign anything. Please help?

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? North Carolina

Hello. My name is John. I was pulled by a state trooper on I-85, given a citation for doing 85 in a 65. I'm 18, and a first-time offender.

I'm confused.... what does this mean for me? Do I get points for it? Pay fines? Should I get a lawyer?

Also, since it's 20 over, I must appear in court. Yet, I didn't have to sign anything. Please help?

When you get to court, ask the court clerk who you talk to about a diversion or a no point offense.

 

[Happy Trails]

Make sure you go to court, the DMV receives notification from the court if you fail to appear. Then your driving privileges will be revoked until the DMV receives notice that you have complied with the citation.

If you are convicted of driving over the speed limit of more than 15 mph, you may lose your driving privileges for at least 30 days.

Was this a reckless driving ticket or just speeding?

EDIT--Judge may suspend license.

 

[djwhiplash2001]

Was this a reckless driving ticket or just speeding?

Just speeding... And eh, will I still lose the privledge if it's just a citation and not a ticket? My friends told me a citation isn't nearly as bad as a ticket.

 

[seniorjudge]

Just speeding... And eh, will I still lose the privledge if it's just a citation and not a ticket? My friends told me a citation isn't nearly as bad as a ticket.

What makes you think there is a difference between a citation and a ticket? They're the same thing.

 

[djwhiplash2001]

I thought you had to sign a ticket? And every other ticket my friends have gotten has been pink. I was under the impression they were different. I guess a lawyer is the way to go.

 

[Robbie0723]

You do not sign the ticket in NC.

You are facing four insurance points if convicted which means a 90% insurance increase the next three years and the possibility of a 30 day suspension of your licence.

A lawyer should be able to plea it down to a 9 over which means no insurance points for you first conviction. The attorny fees will be about the cost of one years insurance increase (imagine that?).

You will be getting a lot of letters in the mail offering to help. This is good business in NC.

Check out these links for more detail -- good luck!

http://www.ncsu.edu/stud_affairs/legal_services/legaldocs/Trafficpoints.htm

http://www.ncdoi.com/consumer/Publications/Automobile/Safe Driver Incentive Plan.pdf

 

[Happy Trails]

Robbie0723 is correct. I would advise in getting a lawyer as well. You are only 18 and insurance is already high.

Don't get another citation it will be worse than whatever you get with this one. So slow down and keep tags and insurance current.

Good luck and post back.

 

[djwhiplash2001]

Alrighty - I'll get in touch with a lawyer sometime. A radar detector might be a good investment for me - I will, of course, slow down (usually I don't drive fast, 5 over or so, which is the norm in NC). Me and my friends were late to an orientation at UNCC :/.

I think we jinx'ed it on the way. We were just talking about how I'd never gotten a speeding ticket and how it was gonna hurt when I did. And then I looked back and make up some new obscenities that I didn't know exist. Ah well, another teen learns his lesson. I guess I should have known it was coming.

Insurance won't be such a pain for me. Right now I'm paying over $2000/yr (with a clean record) cause my insurance company is raping me in the bum, so I'm just gonna switch over to another company at some point.

 

[lwpat]

A 90% increase figures out to 1800 per year, that's a lot of pain to me. You can try it on your own but an attorney will be your best route. Try the find an attorney link on this site rather than all of the letters you are going to get. If no one is listed send me an email for some more resources.

 

[djwhiplash2001]

I'll check this site out for some... I'm not going to try to do this myself, I think a lawyer would be best. And if I witch to an insurance company that doesn't charge me to hell, the 90% increase would be made up, if I couldn't get it resolved. But, an attorney should fix my problem.