Chicago Speeding Ticket Lawyer

When you’re accused of speeding, it can leave you with some serious penalties if you don’t fight back. If you’re facing a ticket, reach out to a Chicago speeding attorney for the help you need to try getting your ticket dismissed.

You might not have realized or thought you were going over the speed limit, until an officer pulled you over and gave you a speeding ticket in Chicago. Chicago also speed violation cameras to record vehicles going over the speed limit in protected areas. Speed violation cameras recorded 386,066 violations in 2023. Now, you’re facing severe consequences if you don’t fight back now and get your charges dismissed.

If you’ve been pulled over for a speeding violation in Chicago, you may need help fighting to get your ticket dismissed. Fortunately, that’s what our lawyers at Chicago Trusted Attorneys can provide. We know how tough it can be to overcome your speeding ticket, so your Chicago speeding ticket lawyer will work to help you avoid the harsh penalties a speeding ticket can bring.

Points and Penalties for Speeding in Chicago, Illinois

If you don’t fight your speeding ticket, the penalties can be high. A speeding ticket in Chicago can cost  more than $200 for even minor speeding violations. Unfortunately, those tickets can be expensive, making it difficult to recover after a ticket.

Worse, the points a speeding ticket puts on your driver’s license can add up. If you accrue too many of these points, your license could be suspended. That leaves you without the transportation you may rely on every day.

Long-Term Financial Costs of Speeding Tickets

The financial costs of a speeding ticket can add up over time. For example, a license suspension may require a fee to get your license back, adding to the fines you’ve already paid. After that,  you might see a change in your insurance policy, too.

Insurance companies want to see that their clients are safe drivers. If you don’t fight your speeding ticket, that may indicate to them that you’re not staying safe on the road. That means that your insurance prices could increase based on your ticket.

The high financial cost makes it more difficult for you to recover from a ticket, so you’ll need to defend yourself during your day in Chicago traffic court. Accepting the penalties can hurt you over time, so fight back now to protect your future.

Arrests for Speeding in Chicago

In 2023, Chicago police made 56,301 traffic stops. Generally, you’re not expecting an arrest when you’re pulled over for speeding. However, arrests can happen in some circumstances, depending on the speed at which you were traveling and whether you have previous offenses on your record.

Typically, you won’t be arrested unless you were accused of excessive or aggravated speeding. This means that you were driving over the speed limit to a dangerous degree, and you could be charged with a misdemeanor.

For speeds over 26 mph over the posted speed limit, you may be facing Class B misdemeanor charges, which could lead to up to 180 days in jail. If you’re convicted of driving more than 35 mph over the speed limit, you may be in jail for up to a year for your offense. Because your penalties can be so serious, it’s important to fight back now if you were arrested for speeding.

Illinois Speeding Laws

Understanding how Illinois’s speed laws work can also help you. Like many states, Illinois recognizes two types of speeding laws: absolute speed limits and basic speed limits.

When we think of speed limits, we’re usually thinking of absolute speed laws. These laws are the speed limits posted on signs, denoting how fast you’re allowed to go. Whether you’re driving one mile or ten miles over that speed limit, you could be pulled over for speeding.

Basic speed law in Chicago and the rest of Illinois, however, can reduce that limit further. Basic speed law covers not just the posted limits but how safe it is to travel given the current conditions.

For example, you might be driving in a heavy downpour on the highway. The posted speed limit for state highways is 65 mph. However, it may not be safe to drive 65 mph in a heavy rain. As such, you might be pulled over for driving at speeds that are dangerous for the conditions, since you and other drivers could be seriously injured at higher speeds.

Defenses for Chicago Speeding Tickets

When you’re facing a speeding ticket, you’ll need to prepare a strong defense against their accusations. Unfortunately, that can be overwhelming, and you may be unsure where to start. That’s why our Chicago attorneys take the time to listen to your case first, so we can choose the best defense for you.

Your speeding ticket lawyer may call the officer’s opinion of your speed into question. Police officers can make mistakes, and the tools they use to determine your speed, from their own pacing to their radar guns, can fail. Your lawyer may try to call these resources into question during your day in traffic court in order to prove that your ticket should be dropped.