What Happens If I’m Charged with Speeding in a Charlotte Construction Zone?

It’s easy to get caught speeding, even when you’re driving attentively. You’re focused on the surrounding traffic, and don’t notice that the speed limit has been reduced. The next thing you know, you’ve been pulled over and the officer is writing you a ticket. Now you’re facing serious consequences due to a simple mistake.

If you’ve been charged with speeding in a construction zone, Randall & Stump, Criminal Defense Attorneys can help. Our Charlotte speeding ticket lawyers have helped many clients challenge traffic violations, and fight for them get a fair outcome. Call us at (980) 237-4579, or visit our online contact form to schedule a free consultation of your case.

Enhanced Penalties

If you are convicted of speeding in a construction zone, you will automatically be fined $250.00. In addition to this fine, you can expect your insurance premiums to rise.

Construction zone speeding violations can be paid off without going to court. If you are considering this option, you need to be extremely careful. First, by paying the ticket, be aware that you are pleading guilty to the charge. Second, if you were driving more than 15 miles per hour (while driving at least 55 mph), your license will automatically be suspended by pleading guilty. This can happen easier than you think, since many work zones may have reduced speed limits of at least 20 miles per hour.

Your Options

If you’ve been ticketed for speeding in a work zone, the most important thing is to first understand the potential consequences. If your license gets suspended, you may want to fight the ticket more aggressively than if you are facing only the fine. That said, $250 is not a small amount of money. Just be aware that if you dispute the ticket, you may ultimately be found guilty and wind up having to pay court costs and other fees on top of this amount.

The best thing you can do is to speak with an experienced traffic attorney. They can analyze your case and explain your options based on their knowledge of the law and their experience with the local traffic courts. A lawyer will also be able to negotiate with the prosecutor on your behalf in an attempt to get the charges reduced. This is often the best option in many cases.

If you believe that you are not guilty, you will need to formulate a defense. Common defenses that can be raised in a speeding case include:

Missing or poor signage.

In order to be found guilty, the prosecution has to prove that there were signs identifying the area as a construction zone with a reduced speed limit. If you can prove that there was no signage or the signage was impossible to see, you may be able to avoid conviction.

Radar gun inaccuracy.

In raising this defense, your attorney will argue that the speed recorded by the officer’s radar gun is inaccurate. Radar equipment must be properly calibrated, regularly maintained, and the officer must be properly trained on how to use it.

Speedometer inaccuracy.

If you can prove that your car’s speedometer was not working correctly, you may be able to avoid a speeding conviction. However, this is a difficult defense to raise, as the prosecutor will argue that you should have been able to gauge your speed by the surrounding traffic and other conditions. You will also need to have your speedometer calibrated, which may be expensive.

You weren’t speeding.

This can be a successful defense if you were only slightly over the speed limit, because you can argue that it’s easy for radar equipment or your speedometer to be off by a mile or two per hour. Unfortunately, this is the reason why officers often bump up the recorded speed on their tickets.

Were You Caught Speeding in a Charlotte Construction Zone?

Speeding tickets may be minor compared to other traffic infractions, but they can cost you valuable time and money. In addition, a speeding ticket will go on your permanent driving record, which could lead to problems in the future. You should talk to a lawyer before sending in a check. Contact Randall & Stump, Criminal Defense Attorneys at (980) 237-4579, or reach out via the online contact form to schedule a free consultation.