There are times when fighting a speeding ticket may seem futile. You may assume that your only option is to pay the ticket and move on.
What you may not know, however, is that you might be able to fight the ticket if you can prove you were speeding for a good reason. Below are some common strategies for disputing speeding violations.
Speeding to prevent an accident
According to FindLaw, one valid speeding ticket defense argues the fact that you were speeding to prevent an accident. For example, if you decide to drive faster than the speed limit because you want to pass a dangerous driver, your speeding may be justifiable in the eyes of the law. If you continue to speed after you pass the car, however, this defense is unlikely to stand in court.
Speeding during an emergency
One strategy to fighting a speeding ticket is arguing that your driving was necessary to prevent harm to yourself or another person. If you are driving someone to the hospital who is bleeding profusely, you may argue that your speed was necessary because otherwise, your passenger may have died.
Speeding to match traffic flow
In some cases, you may be able to argue that you were speeding to match traffic flow and avoid an accident. If you are traveling 10 miles above the speed limit, you may argue that it was reasonably safe to do so because everyone else in your lane was also traveling that fast. In these situations, it may be unsafe to drive the posted speed limit because of the current traffic flow conditions.
There are several different strategies when it comes to fighting a speeding ticket and it is worth looking into whether or not any of them apply to your case.