So I need some advice on a speeding ticket... just moved here... (Middletown: car insurance, lawyer)

[average_joe010]

So I just moved here from Virginia about 3 weeks ago. Im 18, graduated highest Honors, never had a ticket and im usually a very responsible driver.

I was driving home from a friends house in pawtucket a few days ago and it was pretty late 3:00am ish. No drinking involved or anything, but about 10 minutes from home (Middletown) I started nodding off at the wheel... I know i know i should have stopped to rest but i was close to home/whatever.

I lost track of my speed (75mPh) on the stretch of i-95 (55 speed zone) and got pulled over for speeding. I was tired and nervous, ive never been pulled over before and pulled left instead of right for the cop. He yelled at me and ticketed me for speeding, and stopping on open highway...

Im pretty nervous as ive never been in court or anything, and id like to maybe get some advice on what to do? Ive got a court summons for september, and i have no idea what to do....

Any advice would be appriciated.
thanks!

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by average_joe010

So I just moved here from Virginia about 3 weeks ago. Im 18, graduated highest Honors, never had a ticket and im usually a very responsible driver.

You're only 18. And what does graduating have to do with this or anything? "never had a ticket". Again, you're 18.

I was driving home from a friends house in pawtucket a few days ago and it was pretty late 3:00am ish. No drinking involved or anything, but about 10 minutes from home (Middletown) I started nodding off at the wheel... I know i know i should have stopped to rest but i was close to home/whatever.

You just confessed to what is basically Reckless Driving in many states. You're lucky he didn't cite you for that.

I lost track of my speed (75mPh) on the stretch of i-95 (55 speed zone) and got pulled over for speeding. I was tired and nervous, ive never been pulled over before and pulled left instead of right for the cop. He yelled at me and ticketed me for speeding, and stopping on open highway...

Officers die on traffic stops and you just put him, and yourself, in jeopardy by doing that.

Im pretty nervous as ive never been in court or anything, and id like to maybe get some advice on what to do? Ive got a court summons for september, and i have no idea what to do....

Any advice would be appriciated.
thanks!

I'd approach the officer before court starts and nicely ask if he would assist you with the tickets. Impress upon him that you've learned your lesson and apologize for the bone head move that night.

[sevenofsix]

Say guilty with explanation, "you didn't realize you were speeding and it won't happen again". This will might raise your car insurance. Also try watching that tv show caught in providence.

[xfountaingrl]

I don't know about the pulling over on the left thing, but in RI you can use your "good driver status" to get you out of one ticket. You'll have to pay court costs, but not the ticket. The thing is, you will need to get a copy of you driving record from VA and bring that to court with you. As long as you do not have any other speeding tickets, you will get out of it. But like I said, for the other part, I have no idea. But, what the others have said sound good for that.

[Hollytree]

He probably does not qualify for the good driver status since he's only 18- you have to have a clean three year driving record to qualify.

I say, put on a suit and tie, go to court, plead guilty with explanation and pay your fine. Driving is a major responsibility- you could have killed yourself or someone else- so thank your lucky stars it wasn't a worse outcome. Lesson learned.

[Hoxsie454]

The judge will ask how you plead. You may plead "Nolo" but that is not going to get you out of a fine and your insurance premium will be going up. YES - dress neatly, wearing a tie is indeed a good idea. Be courteous, polite, respectful. Tell the judge you were not drinking and you don't do drugs -- stayed up too long, you were suddenly nodding off and thank the officer who stopped you or you might have killed someone. Maybe the judge will be having a good day.....

[mikewu9900]

i think your screwed, providence needs ur money. been 5 months and i haven't gotten my state tax refund back yet...

[mr2448]

Originally Posted by Hoxsie454

The judge will ask how you plead. You may plead "Nolo" but that is not going to get you out of a fine and your insurance premium will be going up. YES - dress neatly, wearing a tie is indeed a good idea. Be courteous, polite, respectful. Tell the judge you were not drinking and you don't do drugs -- stayed up too long, you were suddenly nodding off and thank the officer who stopped you or you might have killed someone. Maybe the judge will be having a good day.....

Pray for Judge Caprio!!!!! And call him SIR!!! You might be come a Television star

[GermanSpy]

You're on I-95 and ten minutes from Middletown? Huh? Sure you were only doing 75?

Meanwhile, when's your insurance policy up for renewal? Anytime soon, close to your court date in September? Or did you just renew it by any chance? Depending on the answer to that I'd plan accordingly. If your insurance policy will be under review after this incident goes on your record you'll very likely be facing a considerable increase in payments since they'll take this into account and raise your premium. So it might be prudent and cheaper in the long run to retain an attorney for this matter and hoping that he'll get it tossed out for you.

If you don't want to hire a lawyer you'll have to appear in traffic court yourself. There, you've got a couple options. You might try to approach the prosecutor and see if you can work something out with him, maybe get him to drop the stopping violation if you agree to eat the speeding part. If the prosecutor won't play you'll face the judge and he'll ask you how you plead in this matter. You can plead not guilty, enter a nolo plea which doesn't really make much sense in this case since no civilians are involved besides yourself or you can plead guilty. If you plead not guilty the case will go on for real and I honestly doubt it'll end well for you.

If you'll plead guilty the judge might be interested to hear your side of the story. Or he might not. You'll end up paying the fines and will very likely receive an entry on your driver's record which will very likely lead to the insurance premium raise.

I don't really think it's necessary for you to appear there in a suit. It's traffic court after all and while it's a good idea to appear fairly well dressed you also don't want dress snappier than the prosecutor. Wear a decent pair of shoes, a shirt and khakis. You're 18, after all. Be prepared for a long wait until your name is called, traffic court is no fun for anybody involved and bogged down beyond belief.

[hoohoohaa13]

Originally Posted by mr2448

Pray for Judge Caprio!!!!! And call him SIR!!! You might be come a Television star

I used to watch that show for the heck of it, just sit there on my couch and laugh at some of the excuses offered up.

That's it? 75? Are you sure you were on 95? Because once you get south of route 4 split, it is 65, and traffic is moving at 70-75.

Wear nice clothing, try the good driver route (I haven't seen it work yet for any teenagers when I've been in court, but....). My insurance has not gone up at all (not to say yours won't). One of the reasons it didn't go up when I first moved here is MN does not check RI driving records. Therefore, my MN insurance did not find out. I don't know why it hasn't gone up with my more recent tickets. I guess I might find out soon.

Be confidant, speak clearly, and ask the judge to drop the stopping on the left. You have a poor excuse for speeding, so pay that and ask for some leniency on the other charge.

And if you do get Caprio, post back here and let us know, so we can set our DVR's!