First Speeding Ticket and Insurance (car insurance, how much, lawyer) - City-Data Forum

RhoninFire · 06-11-2012, 09:11 AM

I first wrote this in the Massachusetts forum, but the response said I should write you the people in New Hampshire.

So last Saturday morning, I got my first speeding ticket going 78 on a 50 zone on Route 16 after exiting I-95. He was nice about it and let me down to 70, explaining he is doing me a big favor.

I want to note that I do feel it is fair and I already got a lucky break. I should have kept a better eye out on the speed limit and not assume a highway is still a highway as I went from I-95 to Route 16 turnpike. However, I still decided to google "First Speeding Ticket" and realize how much of a dumbass I am with the true cost is not just the fine, but the likelihood of the cost to my parents or at least to myself for years to come.

A complicating factor is only a little more than a week earlier, I had an accident that occurred with a co-worker as I pulled out of my parking spot at my company.

So combined together, I'm pretty sure there is no chance of forgiveness as I don't imagine Insurance will view a ticket and accident as separate things so they would forgive both (assuming the insurance would even forgive in any circumstance - at least before I had hope that another insurance might be nicer). Currently, the car is under my mother's name and the insurance is under my parents with my name attached (Company is Commerce Insurance).

So right now I'm trying to figure out the best course of action now. Is my only option is to bite the costs and hope the costs will be whittled down over the next 3-5 years with new understanding to drive more carefully? Should I try and fight the ticket as I found on some forums on others who have their first speeding ticket (but the circumstances didn't have an accident not too much before), assuming that if I should do something like that after considering the circumstances and that my true speed even higher? Since I'm pretty sure I just singled handled destroyed my parent's discounts in the past 10 days, should I just separate myself from them so it I won't break their savings (assuming that how it works).

This is the link to the my original Mass post.

First Speeding Ticket and Best Way to Handle it?

nhdriver · 06-11-2012, 11:11 AM

Isn't MA six years for insurance history as far as any tickets are concerned?

I would honestly get a lawyer so you could get this reduced further if not more. It may be cheaper in a long run aside from having to dish out extra for the lawyer. I'd say it'd be worth it.

FrugalYankee · 06-11-2012, 11:18 AM

I think insurance companies all have their own policies but go back approx 3 years in driving history to calculate rates. It might help to call around.

GregW · 06-11-2012, 12:10 PM

I agree with the get a lawyer. Insurance is very, very complicated once accidents and speediing are involved.

Mostly take your own advice and be more attentive and careful.

RhoninFire · 06-11-2012, 01:44 PM

I guess the consensus so far is I should talk to a lawyer. Should I contact a MA lawyer or a NH lawyer?

EDIT: Looking at the recommended MA ones, a Lawyer does cost quite a lot per hour. I sense a lawyer can help considering the number of possibilities of how Insurance, NH Law, MA Law, timing between my parking lot accident, and the speeding ticket. But is there enough to examine to really make my situation better than the default of picking guilty/no contest and weening the off the raised premiums by not making more dumbass moves)?

GregW · 06-12-2012, 04:51 AM

You should plead no contest as you were actually, although inadvertently, speeding. The lawyer is for the insurance dealing. PM me for a couple of names.

SuperSparkle928 · 06-12-2012, 05:37 AM

Do you have any friends that are police officers? I used to build really high-powered street cars, and would occasionally get nailed for letting them run.... Called the friend PO, he would say 'contest it', and it would magically 'disappear'. They said they 'misplaced the report'.

Back when I lived in the states, (MA when I was young and foolish), the car insurance premiums would have rocketed.
Note: I deny any of this as factual, for legal purposes.

lady fern · 06-28-2012, 11:31 AM

I don't know about NH, but some states have deferral programs where you either pay a bit more for the ticket or take a class and it doesn't go on your record unless you have another offense within the year. You might call the jurisdiction holding the ticket and see if they have any such programs.

DeerPark · 06-28-2012, 12:42 PM

Wanna know why the cop did you a big favor and wrote you up for 70mph? So you wouldn't fight the ticket and he wouldn't have to show up in court on his day off

Happened to me in RI a few months ago. At least in RI if you can prove you have a good driving record they dismiss the ticket, which is what I did. Good Luck, I know how it feels to get pulled over not fun.

nhdriver · 06-29-2012, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lady fern

I don't know about NH, but some states have deferral programs where you either pay a bit more for the ticket or take a class and it doesn't go on your record unless you have another offense within the year. You might call the jurisdiction holding the ticket and see if they have any such programs.

I forgot to add this too; NH does have a class; I believe six hours to get few points off the record. I'd jump on that if I were you.