If you have been caught speeding on Virginia roadways, fines are not the only price you will pay for breaking the rules of the road. You may also face serious consequences as it relates to your car insurance rates. Speeding tickets and insurance rates are closely connected, and when a person is charged with speeding it is likely that their insurance rates will increase in tandem.
Understanding the relationship between speeding tickets and insurance rates is important and can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in the long-term. At Driving Defense Law, we work alongside drivers to defend their rights and minimize the consequences of their ticket long after court. Our team of zealous attorneys will create a personalized legal defense to ensure long-term savings and protect your interests. To learn more, connect with us at (757) 929-0335 today.
How Do Speeding Tickets Impact Your Insurance Rate?
A major factor that is used to determine your car insurance rate is your driving record, which includes traffic violations such as speeding tickets. The more tickets you receive, the more you will likely pay in car insurance. According to a Forbes Advisor Analysis, the national car insurance rate for drivers who receive a speeding ticket is approximately 24% more than drivers without a speeding conviction. This is substantial, translating to hundreds of dollars per year.
Data from the U.S. News & World Report indicates that the average annual car insurance rate in Virginia is slightly over $1,000. A 24% increase in the average driver’s car insurance rate would amount to an extra $240 per year. More severe speeding offenses or repeat offenses can further increase this amount.
Some of the ways that a speeding ticket can impact your car insurance rates includes:
- Your premium may go up at the time of renewal
- Insurance rates could increase year-over-year
- You may not be able to utilize “good driver” discounts
- If your driving record contains severe offenses or multiple speeding tickets, you may not be able to obtain car insurance through a private company.
How Much Will Your Insurance Rate Increase After a Speeding Ticket
Speeding tickets and insurance rates are clearly connected, but to what extent? While there is no definite number or percentage that we can cite regarding how much your insurance rate will increase after a speeding ticket, there are several factors that can be used to predict the impact. Some factors that play a role in how much your insurance rate increases after a speeding ticket include:
- Whether it was your first offense. The more speeding tickets you have, the more you can expect to pay.
- Your driving history. A driver with an otherwise clean record may be less impacted by a driver with a history of infractions.
- How fast you were going. There is a substantial difference between going 5 miles per hour over the speed limit and being caught going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit. The more severe the offense, the bigger the insurance penalty.
- Where you received the ticket. All Virginia jurisdictions handle speeding infractions differently.
Why Do Insurance Rates Increase After a Speeding Ticket?
Insurers look at your driving record to understand how much of a risk you may pose to others on the road. According to the 2022 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts report, approximately 20% of all car accidents were speed-related. Due to the role that speeding often plays in car accidents, insurers consider this an important risk factor. When you engage in risky driving behavior (such as speeding) car insurers take this into account.
What Can You Do to Prevent Your Car Insurance Rates from Increasing?
The good news is that through the right strategy, it is entirely possible to prevent your car insurance rates from increasing. At Driving Defense Law, we understand that speeding tickets and car insurance rates are primary concerns for many drivers, and we work closely with our clients to help minimize the consequences of their charges.
First, if you were accused of speeding, do not simply pay the speeding ticket. In doing so, you are admitting that you are guilty of speeding and agreeing to keep the conviction on your driving record. This is not the only course of action available to you, however, and it is important to challenge your charges.
Seeking legal assistance is a beneficial first step, as representing yourself in court can be ineffective without a close understanding of Virginia law and access to resources to defend your case. If your attorney is able to reduce or dismiss the charges, you can avoid accruing points on your license. In turn, your car insurance rates will not increase.
Your attorney will utilize a range of legal strategies to defend your case and minimize the impact of the speeding ticket on your driving record and insurance rates. Some of these strategies include:
- Proving that there was a radar error that caused the radar or lidar gun to provide an inaccurate reading.
- Looking for citation errors that require a judge to dismiss the ticket.
- Providing evidence that your speedometer was not correctly calibrating, causing you to be unaware that you were speeding.
- Asserting that you will complete Driver Safety School or community service to have the ticket dismissed.
- Arguing that you were speeding for a justifiable reason, like to avoid an object in the road or due to a medical emergency.
- Contending that speed limit signs were not posted or were hidden by a tree, preventing you from knowing the speed limit in the area.
Contact an Experienced Attorney at Driving Defense Law Today
After receiving a speeding ticket, it is natural to worry that your car insurance rates will increase as a result. At Driving Defense Law, we understand that speeding tickets and insurance rates can pose a financial burden on many Virginia residents. Consequently, we have devoted our practice to helping Virginia drivers avoid these undue consequences and minimize or alleviate the impact of their speeding violation on their insurance premiums. To learn more about how we can help, consider booking a free case evaluation with our team or contacting us at (757) 929-0335 today.
