Posted on

Double Fine Speeding Tickets in Missouri “Travel Safe Zones”

Speeding ticket fines will double in the “Travel Safe Zone” on I-70 between Route A and Wentzville Parkway starting Monday, April 4, 2016. This Travel Safe Zone will remain in effect for 1 year and then will be re-evaluated.

What is a Travel Safe Zone?

A Travel Safe Zone is a special speed zone established in a high-accident area to enforce safe driving and reduce traffic fatalities. On this particular section of I-70 near Wentzville, Missouri, there have been 4 traffic deaths within the past 5 years and 160 accidents in the past year alone.

The Wentzville Travel Safe Zone is similar to the “ARC Zone” (Accident Reduction Corridor) that was in effect for over 3 years from 2011 to 2014 on a 7-mile stretch of I-70 in north St. Louis County near the airport.

Where is the Wentzville Travel Safe Zone?

The Wentzville Travel Safe Zone is a 4-mile section of I-70 in St. Charles County, west of St. Louis, Missouri between Route A and Wentzville Parkway. The Travel Safe Zone applies to traffic moving in both directions on the highway.

Some signs have been posted to warn drivers that speeding ticket fines will be double the usual amount in the Travel Safe Zone.

Both Missouri State Highway Patrol and Wentzville Municipal Police will patrol this section of I-70.

How Much Are the Travel Safe Zone Speeding Ticket Fines?

Travel Safe Zone ticket fines will be double the usual amount for all speeding tickets and other moving violations issued in the Travel Safe Zone. So, if the fine for a speeding ticket was $150, the new fine will be $300 for committing any moving violation in the Wentzville Travel Safe Zone.

Locations of Other Travel Safe Zones in the St. Louis Area

Other Travel Safe Zones in the St. Louis area include:

  • I-70 from Cypress Road in St. Louis County to the St. Louis City border
  • Highway 94 between Defiance and Highway D in St. Charles County
  • Highway 61 between Highway A in Wentzville and Dietrich Road in northern St. Charles County.
  • I-55 in Jefferson County between Highway Z in Pevely and Highway 67 in Crystal City
Click here for more information about Missouri Travel Safe Zones.

Hire a Traffic Ticket Lawyer to Fix Your Travel Safe Zone Speeding Ticket

An experienced traffic law attorney can get your Travel Safe Zone ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or insurance rates. Some people call this getting a speeding ticket “fixed.”

Your attorney will negotiate a plea bargain deal with the court and you will pay a fine and court costs, but you will not have to appear in court.

If you want to get your Missouri Travel Safe Zone ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, call St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or email her at [email protected] to get a price quote for legal representation.

 

Posted on

Beware Double Fine Zone Speeding Tickets in St. Louis

Just like other traffic tickets, “Double Fine Zone” speeding tickets in St. Louis can be reduced to non-moving, no-point infractions if you hire a traffic law attorney to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecuting attorney, but be prepared for a hefty fine.

How Much is the Fine in a Double Fine Zone?

Normally, the fine in a Double Fine Zone is just what it says–double the fine that it would have been in a regular speed zone. Many drivers choose to hire an attorney to negotiate a plea bargain with the court to get their speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving violation so their car insurance rates won’t increase and no points will be added to their driving record. If the Court agrees to reduce your ticket to a non-moving violation, you will have to pay a slightly higher fine plus court costs.

Be aware that some courts assess even higher fines than normal for reducing a Double Fine Zone ticket to a non-moving violation. For example, if you receive a speeding ticket for driving 14 miles over the speed limit (44 in a 30 mph zone) in a Double Fine Zone in the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin, Missouri, your fine will be $145.50. If you hire an attorney to get the ticket “fixed” (reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation), your fine after the ticket is reduced to “Illegal Parking” will be $425.50 plus $24.50 in court costs. In case you’re bad at math, this translates to almost three times the original fine.

According to the Ballwin Municipal Court Clerk’s office, the Double Fine Zones were established in their municipality for safety purposes in high-traffic residential areas of Ballwin.

“ARC Zones” or “Travel Safe Zones” Also Mean Double Fines

Other Double Fine Zones also exist in St. Louis, although they may be called a “Travel Safe Zone,” “ARC Zone” or “Accident Reduction Corridor.” In North St. Louis County, the municipalities of Berkeley, Cool Valley, Edmundson, Normandy, Northwoods, Pine Lawn, St. Ann, and Woodson Terrace established an ARC Zone, which is now called a Travel Safe Zone. Police officers in these cities regularly issue $200 tickets for speeding 11 miles over the limit in the Travel Safe/ARC Zone.

You Will Pay a Higher Fine After Your ARC Zone Ticket is Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation 

If you receive a speeding ticket for 73 in a 60 mph ARC Zone in St. Ann, Missouri, the fine is $200. After hiring an attorney to get the ticket amended to a non-moving, no-point violation such as “Illegal Parking,” your fine and court costs will total $275. This is in addition to the amount you pay your lawyer for their legal services.

For more information, click on this link to read my blog post about St. Louis ARC Zone speeding ticket fines.

Or see this page of my website for information about points on your driving record and Missouri speeding ticket fines.

If you have received a speeding ticket in a Double Fine Zone or ARC Zone in St. Louis and would like a price quote to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation, call St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or email her at [email protected].