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How To Fight Your Speeding Ticket In Missouri

Illinois Driving Record

To fight your speeding ticket in Missouri, hire an experienced traffic law attorney to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or car insurance rates.

What Happens If You Plead Guilty To A Speeding Ticket in Missouri

If you plead guilty to a speeding ticket, points will be added to your driving record, and your car insurance rates may increase.

Here are some common moving violations and the number of points assessed for each ticket:

  • Speeding ticket (issued by a municipal police officer)  = 2 points
  • Speeding ticket (issued by a state trooper) = 3 points
  • Driving While Suspended = 12 points
  • Driving Without Insurance = 4 points
  • Driving Without a License = 2 points (first offense)
  • Careless & Imprudent Driving = 2 to 4 points
  • Reckless Driving = 2 to 4 points
  • DWI = 8 to 12 points
  • Leaving The Scene of an Accident = 6 to 12 points
  • Stop Sign Violation = 2 points
  • Permitting Unlicensed Driver to Drive = 4 points

Click here to see the Missouri Department of Revenue complete list of moving violations and the number of points assessed for each.

How Many Points Can I Get Before My License Is Suspended?

  • In Missouri, your driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days if you accumulate 8 points within 18 months (if it’s a first-time suspension)
  • If you accumulate 12 points within 12 months, your license will be revoked for 1 year

If you keep driving while your license is suspended, you risk getting a 12-point ticket for “Driving While Suspended.”

What Will Happen If You Hire An Attorney To Fight Your Speeding Ticket?

If you hire a lawyer to fight your speeding ticket, the following will happen:

  • Your ticket will be reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation such as “Illegal Parking” or “Defective Equipment”
  • You will pay a fine that is slightly higher than the original fine plus court costs
  • You won’t have to appear in court
  • There won’t be any points added to your driving record
  • Your insurance company will never know that you got a speeding ticket

Of course, the outcome of your case depends on which court your case is being prosecuted in, how bad your driving record is, and the skill and experience of your attorney.

How To Remove Points From Your Driving Record By Attending Traffic School

You may be able to remove points from your driving record by taking the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) traffic school after you have pleaded guilty and paid the fine for your speeding ticket.

If the judge gives you permission to take the DIP class, the points will be removed after you complete the DIP class.

PLEASE NOTE:  Taking the DIP class will remove the points from your driving record, but your insurance company will still be able to see the speeding conviction on your record and may increase your car insurance rates.

Here is some information you need to know before taking the DIP class:

  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have taken it within the past 3 years
  • You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or if you were driving a commercial motor vehicle when you got the ticket
  • You must ask the judge for permission to take the DIP class, or else the DOR will not accept proof of completion
  • If your ticket is for a very high speed, the judge might not give permission to take the DIP class
  • Most courts require you or your attorney to appear in court to ask the judge for permission to take the DIP class
  • The deadline for completion of the DIP class is 60 days after pleading guilty and paying the fine for your ticket

Most people take the DIP class only if they receive a ticket in a county where the court DOES NOT allow speeding tickets to be reduced to non-moving violations. If you receive a ticket in a county where the court DOES allow speeding tickets to be reduced to non-moving violations, you can hire a traffic ticket lawyer to get your ticket reduced without having to take the DIP class.

You Can Change Your Mind And Withdraw Your Guilty Plea

If you already pleaded guilty to a speeding ticket and now regret your decision, it is possible to hire an attorney to withdraw your guilty plea and get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation.

Your attorney will have to convince the judge to let you withdraw your plea, and then your attorney will negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to reduce your speeding ticket to a non-moving violation such as “Illegal Parking.”

It is more difficult to withdraw your plea if you had an attorney advising you when you pleaded guilty, or if too much time has passed since you pleaded guilty.

Most traffic law attorneys offer a free consultation and can give you an estimate of the outcome of your case, including the amount of the fines and court costs you will have to pay.

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To fight your speeding ticket, contact St. Louis traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 or [email protected] for a free consultation.

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Get Your St. Louis Speeding Ticket Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation

A traffic ticket lawyer can get your St. Louis speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation to avoid points being added to your driving record and an increase in your car insurance rates.

Don’t Plead Guilty to Speeding in St. Louis

If you plead guilty to speeding in St. Louis, points will be added to your driving record, and your car insurance rates may increase.

Instead of pleading guilty, you can hire a traffic law attorney to represent you. Your attorney will negotiate a plea bargain deal with the Prosecutor to get your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation such as “Illegal Parking.” The Prosecutor will require you to pay fine that is slightly higher than the original fine, plus court costs. You won’t have to appear in court, and the court will give you at least 30 days to pay the fine and court costs.

As soon as the court receives your payment, your ticket will be reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation. This means no points will be added to your driving record, and your insurance company will never know you got the ticket.

Too Many Points on Your Driving Record Will Cause Your License to be Suspended

When you receive a speeding ticket, it is tempting to just pay the fine and forget about it. However, if you pay the fine, that means you are pleading guilty to speeding. That guilty plea will cause points to be added to your driving record and may also cause your car insurance rates to increase.

For a typical speeding ticket issued by a Missouri State Trooper, 3 points are added to your driving record. For “Driving Without Insurance,” 4 points are added. Standard traffic violations such as running a stop sign or improperly changing lanes are typically 2-point violations.

If you accumulate 8 points on your Missouri driving record within 18 months, your driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days (if it’s your first suspension). Your license will be revoked for 1 year if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months.

You Can Change Your Mind After Pleading Guilty to a St. Louis Speeding Ticket

Many people plead guilty and pay the fine for a speeding ticket and later wish they could change their mind. An experienced traffic law attorney can help you by withdrawing your guilty plea and getting your ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or car insurance rates.

It is much easier to withdraw your guilty plea if you 1) did not have an attorney representing you when you pleaded guilty, and 2) not much time has passed since your guilty plea.

If you have pleaded guilty and want to withdraw your plea, consult an experienced attorney to get a price quote for legal representation and an estimate of the fines and court costs you will pay.

How to Remove Points From Your Driving Record After Pleading Guilty to a Speeding Ticket

If your ticket was issued in a county where the Prosecutor won’t reduce your ticket to a non-moving, no-point violation, you may be able to take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) to remove the points from your driving record.

You are eligible to take the DIP class if you have not taken it within the past 3 years. You are not eligible to take the DIP class if you have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or if the traffic violation was committed while driving a commercial motor vehicle. You must obtain the judge’s permission to take the DIP class, and you must complete the DIP class within 60 days after pleading guilty.

Read my previous blog post “Missouri Driving School Removes Points From Record” for more information about the Missouri DIP class.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you complete the DIP class, points will be removed from your Missouri driving record, but the speeding conviction will still show up on your driving record, and your insurance company may increase your rates.

For more information, read my previous blog post “How to Get a Speeding Ticket Reduced to a Non-Moving Violation in Missouri.”

To get your St. Louis speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point violation that won’t affect your driving record or insurance rates, call traffic law attorney Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a price quote and estimate of your fine and court costs. Or email Andrea at [email protected]

 

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Frequently Asked Questions About ARC Zone Speeding Tickets

An ARC Zone speeding ticket is a ticket issued in an Accident Reduction Corridor (sometimes called a Travel Safe Zone), and if you are caught speeding in the ARC Zone in St. Louis, your fine will be almost 3 times higher than if you were in a regular speed zone.

Where is the ARC Zone in St. Louis?

Eight municipalities make up the St. Louis ARC Zone:  St. Ann, Berkeley, Cool Valley, Edmundson, Normandy, Northwoods, Woodson Terrace, and Pine Lawn. The ARC Zone encompasses a 7-mile stretch of I-70 in north St. Louis County near the airport.

These municipalities banded together and established the ARC Zone/Travel Safe Zone to encourage drivers to slow down in areas where there have been lots of accidents. According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, there were 3,000 car crashes in 2009 in the east bound lanes of what is now the ARC Zone.

Be warned:  there aren’t many signs to notify you that you are in the ARC Zone, and the police heavily patrol this area. 

Are Fines for ARC Zone Speeding Tickets Higher?

Just like a construction zone ticket or school zone ticket, the fine for a Missouri ARC Zone speeding ticket is much higher than the fine would be if the ticket had been issued for the same speed in a regular speed zone.

St. Louis ARC Zone speeding ticket fines vary by court, but here is an example:  If you receive an ARC Zone speeding ticket in St. Ann Municipal Court for driving 71 in a 60 mph zone, the original fine and court costs total $200. If you had received that same ticket in St. Ann for driving the same speed in a regular speed zone (not an ARC Zone), your total fine and court costs would have been only $71.

Total fines and court costs for speeding in the St. Ann ARC Zone:

5-10 miles over – $150

11-15 miles over – $200

16-19 miles over – $250

20-24 miles over – $300

Can I Get My ARC Zone Speeding Ticket Fixed?

A traffic law attorney can negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecuting attorney to have your ARC zone speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction, such as “Illegal Parking.” (Sometimes this is called getting a ticket “fixed.”)

You will have to pay a fine and court costs, and the fine after your ticket is reduced to “Illegal Parking” will be slightly higher than the original fine. However, no points will be added to your driving record, and your insurance company will never know you received the ticket.

How Much is the Fine for an ARC Zone Ticket After a Lawyer Gets It Fixed?

Here are some examples of the fines and court costs you will pay after your attorney gets your ARC zone speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving, no-point infraction:

If you hire an attorney for your St. Ann ARC Zone speeding ticket for driving 71 in a 60 mph ARC Zone (original fine = $200), your new fine and court costs will total $260 after the ticket is reduced to “Illegal Parking.”

For an ARC Zone speeding ticket in Pine Lawn for driving 71 in a 55 mph ARC Zone, the original fine and court costs total $250. If your attorney is able to get the ARC Zone ticket reduced to “Illegal Parking,” your total fine and court costs will be $275.

For an ARC Zone speeding ticket in Normandy for driving 70 in a 55 mph ARC Zone, the original fine and court costs total $250. After your attorney negotiates a plea bargain to have your ticket amended to “Illegal Parking,” the total fine and court costs will be $315.

How Many Points for an ARC Zone Speeding Ticket?

Two points are added to your Missouri driving record for an ARC Zone speeding ticket. This is the same amount of points you would receive if your ticket had been issued in a regular speed zone.

If you accumulate 8 points within 18 months, your Missouri driver’s license will be suspended for 30 days, if it’s your first suspension. Your license will be revoked for 1 year if you accumulate 12 points within 12 months, 18 points within 24 months, or 24 points within 36 months.

As noted above, if you hire an attorney to get your ARC Zone ticket reduced to a parking violation, you will pay a fine that is slightly higher than the original fine, plus court costs, but no points will be added to your driving record.

What If I Already Paid My Fine?

In many cases, an attorney can withdraw your guilty plea and get your ARC Zone ticket fixed, even if you have already paid the fine. Please note:  it is much more difficult to withdraw your guilty plea if you were represented by an attorney or if too much time has passed since you paid the fine.

How Do I Get a Price Quote to Have My ARC Zone Ticket Fixed?

Call St. Louis speeding ticket lawyer Andrea Storey Rogers at (314) 724-5059 for a price quote to get your ARC Zone speeding ticket fixed. In most cases, Andrea can also give you an estimate of the fine and court costs that you will pay after your ticket is reduced to a parking violation.

For more information about Missouri traffic tickets, you can go to the Traffic Law Resources page, where there is a link to a list of all Missouri traffic ticket fines, points, and penalties.