Available 24/7 | Call Now

Se habla Español

If You are Pulled Over for Speeding

June 8, 2012
By The Wiseman Law Firm

There are a number of ways that Florida law enforcement can detect whether you were speeding. There are also defenses that a skilled speeding ticket defense attorneycan use to either mitigate the offense so that no points appear on your driving record or who can explore defenses that might get your ticket dismissed.

Speeding tickets can result in hundreds of dollars in fines, or even $1,000 if you were speeding in a school or construction zone, along with increased insurance rates, or cancellation of your policy. If you accumulate enough points, your license could be revoked or suspended.

Type of Tickets

If you are pulled over for speeding, you will receive one of two types of tickets. One is violating a traffic control device such as a speed limit sign, and the other is for unlawful speed.

The first type is a lesser offense and involves a smaller fine and fewer points. The unlawful speed ticket can result in a higher fine and more points depending on how fast you were travelling over the posted speed limit.

Speed Detection Devices

Florida has a number of devices used for monitoring speeders. These include the following:

  • Pacing
  • Radar
  • Laser
  • Aircraft

Pacing

Officers use this method by pacing a vehicle with a speedometer over a certain distance. The officer must demonstrate or produce proof that the speedometer was calibrated within the past 6-months, provide the number of pacing tickets, and show the distance you travelled when you were allegedly exceeding the speed limit.

Aircraft

A pilot will use a series of stop watches to measure vehicles between certain lines that are a set distance apart and relays the information to an officer on the ground. If you challenge the ticket, both the pilot officer and ground officer must appear in court to prove the violation.

Radar or Laser Devices

Radar can be used from a handheld device or in a moving vehicle. Some police have antennas that can clock you as you approach their vehicle. A laser is a stationary device that emits a small laser beam at your car.

The officer must produce proof that the radar or laser was credible and that he or she observed your car traveling beyond the speed limit. On many occasions, these devices are not calibrated or have not been maintained in accordance with calibration standard protocol.

In other cases, the officer may not have the proper training or he/she lacks the knowledge to properly operate the devices. A savvy attorney may also show that reflective or interfering surfaces affected the radar or could not have measured your vehicle among others in the area.

Retain The Wiseman Law Firm

If your speeding ticket is your first in a number of years, you are likely eligible to take a traffic course that would dismiss the ticket and/or not give you any points. You must submit a certificate of completion of the traffic course to the county clerk where your ticket was issued.

Should you wish to challenge the ticket, you need to retain a traffic defense attorney who has the knowledge and experience to fight these tickets in court. The Wiseman Law Firm of Orlando has the skills you will need to obtain the necessary documents, cross-examine witnesses, and challenge the credibility of the speed detection device used on your vehicle.

Trust your defense to The Wiseman Law Firm. Call today for a free consultation.

Related Posts

Can My Conviction be Expunged or My Record Sealed?

Although expungement and sealing of a criminal record are similar, they apply to different circumstances. Expunging Your Record Expungement refers ...

VIEW ARTICLE

Can You Get Arrested for Reckless Driving?

Reckless driving in Florida is a serious traffic offense unlike a speeding ticket or running a red light. It denotes ...

VIEW ARTICLE

Can You Get Arrested for Speeding in Florida?

Generally, a speeding ticket is not a serious enough offense to warrant an arrest, but there are circumstances under which ...

VIEW ARTICLE
Address
Follow Us
Skip to content