PA Speeding Ticket on I-476

[TheB1GDude]

Hi all,

On Friday I received a ticket for speeding on the Pennsylvania Turnpike-Northeast Extension (I-476) I was caught by radar doing 86 in 65.

The fine is about $170 which I'm fine with paying if I have to but I'm really worried about points pushing my insurance prices up.

This was my first offense so my PA license is clean, my car was fully covered insurance wise and my registration and tags all checked out.

Initially I was going to plead not guilty in the hopes that I could maybe keep the points down but I don't really have a valid reason for pleading not guilty so I wonder if this is going to make things worse for me.

Anyone have any suggestions on what my best cause of action is? I'm 3 days in already so if I'm paying it will have to be mailed out shortly.

Thanks in advance....

[Maestro64]

PA state police generally do not negotiate tickets, it is all or nothing with them. The only way to get no points is to get them to agree to drop it to 5 over which is no points or a 3111 violation which is failure to obey a traffic control device. Personally I have not hear of anymore being successful with either of those with the PSP. The most it will cost you is $7 more to contest the ticket since you are paying court fee whether you step foot in the court or not.

Also, depending on your insurance company, how many years you been with them, they may never find out about the ticket since they might not even check your record. I know for a fact that I had points on my license and never saw my insurance go up, my agent confirmed for me they do not check everyone, and tend to focus on higher risk individual.

Now you can still fight it and hope the officer fails to do his part, which is to provide all the proper and necessary documentation. Also, know how most PSP use radar they sit in the car with a rear facing antenna they wait to see if someone is at least 10 to 12 over than look around and see who is coming by and grab the next person you, are you sure he got the right person.

[TheB1GDude]

Thanks for the detailed response....

I'm a Geico customer, been with them for about 3 1/2 years no claims whatsoever and have had 3 cars in total insured with them.... hopefully I'm not what they consider high risk....

As for the trooper himself well he was hidden in a little recess behind a hill at the side of the road... there was a Sabb in front of my doing maybe 75MPH and two trucks in the right lane, just as we reached the trucks the Saab decided to move over so I accelerated and went past the Saab and trucks as I did I caught a flash of the patrol car in between the two trucks so I figured / hoped he wouldn't be able to lock on to me.

As soon as I passed the trucks I pulled in the right lane and noticed the Saab come back out into the left lane to the past the trucks then the trooper pulled up behind the Saab and turned his lights on and I figured by some act of god I'd got away with it.... the Saab moved over and up comes the trooper behind me....

It must have been a forward looking radar that caught me between the trucks, I guess maybe it was the Saab as that was the car in front of me just before it happened but I think its more likely its me....

As this point I'm thinking I just pay it and hope for the best I could contest it but I really don't have an excuse for what happened, all the paperwork looks accurate so I think he's got me lock, stock and barrel.... any further suggestions are more than welcome......

[FlyingRon]

"Points" generally don't make a difference to the insurance companies. They have their own scoring system in most states (some have more regulated rules).

[loulblades]

Originally Posted by TheB1GDude

As this point I'm thinking I just pay it and hope for the best I could contest it but I really don't have an excuse for what happened, all the paperwork looks accurate so I think he's got me lock, stock and barrel.... any further suggestions are more than welcome......

Not sure what you mean that all the "paperwork looks accurate" unless you are referring to the info on the ticket. Check the calibration date and station. There is much the officer has to do at the hearing and that may provide an opportunity. As Maestro said, negotiating with the PSP at the hearing is not generally the case but the they do not seem to cover all the bases as well either. The hearings I have been to have shown the local POs being more prepared but also more willing to negotiate (still gets money for them).

If you plead not guilty, you will have about a month to do your research. The hearing costs you $7 and some time. I guess you have to decide if it is worth it. Also make copies of the ticket (front and back) and send the ticket certified return receipt requested (whether you plead guilty or not).