Lawyer for Speeding in a Work Zone Ticket in PA
If you were caught speeding in a work zone, you may be wondering what happens next. You were issued a ticket and not taken to jail, so it may seem like a minor offense. You should understand that getting a ticket for speeding in a work zone can have significant consequences.
Don’t just pay the fine without speaking to a lawyer. That’s the same thing as admitting you were guilty, and you could see rising insurance premiums or even lose your driving privileges for 15 days or longer! Our attorneys at Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC can help you beat the charge and keep it off your record! Call our office at (412) 281-2146.
Requesting a Trial
The ticket you were issued will list the date of the offense, the offense that you were charged with. The, the date of your court appearance. The first court appearance for a person who is not in custody in jail is called an “arraignment.” This is when you will announce whether or not you intend to plead guilty or not guilty. Some people plead guilty at their arraignment without trying to fight the charge. You should understand some of the penalties that speeding in a work zone can carry before you decide to plead guilty.
Potential Penalties for Speeding in a Work Zone
Speeding in a work zone comes with steeper fines than a regular speeding ticket. If you were involved in an accident, you could be facing felony charges if another person was injured or killed. Minor speeding tickets may only result in you being assessed a fine, but you could be facing loss of your driver’s license if were speeding excessively or if you have had many speeding tickets before.
If you were caught driving over the speed limit in a work zone by over 11 miles per hour, you face a 15-day license suspension and 3 points on your driving record. Following are the points you will accumulate on your driving record for each class of speeding in a work zone offense:
- Up to 10 MPH – 2 points
- 11-15 MPH – 3 points and a 15-day license suspension
- 16-25 MPH – 4 points and a 15-day license suspension
- 25-30 MPH – 5 points and 15-day license suspension
- 31 MPH or more – 5 points, a 15-day license suspension, and other possible penalties to be determined at a hearing
Other penalties could include community service, jail time, and attendance at classes about driving safely. Our attorneys will work to get your charges reduced or dismissed to minimize the consequences against you.
You may also see increasing costs for your insurance premiums or may even be dropped by your insurance company if you have too many traffic offenses on your record. Accumulating too many points on your driving record could disqualify you from certain jobs and prevent you from holding a commercial driver’s license.
Defenses
Possible defenses to speeding in a work zone include the following:
- You were not actually driving
- Lack of probable cause that a crime was being committed
- Lack of reasonable suspicion that a traffic offense was being committed to pull you over
- Lack of evidence
- Failure to post signs to indicate the area is a work zone
- Unconstitutional conduct by law enforcement during the stop
Will I Need to Appear in Court?
If you retain the services of one of our attorneys, we may be able to work out a deal with the prosecution that prevents you from needing to appear for trial. If you have not hired an attorney, you will either need to pay the fine on the ticket or appear in court on the date that is listed for your arraignment and request a trial date. Without an attorney, you will likely need to go to court at least twice—once for your arraignment and once for your trial.
Reach Out to an Experienced Traffic Ticket Lawyer for Help
Do you you have questions about fighting a traffic ticket for speeding in a work zone? Maybe your son or daughter just got their first ticket and you want to keep their driving record clear. If you have a job that involves driving, paying an attorney to beat the charge could save you thousands in future wages and insurance costs. Contact our attorneys at Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC by calling (412) 281-2146 or fill out our online contact form.