Pennsylvania speeding ticket lawyer for out-of-state drivers
All of us are familiar with that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach that comes when the flashing lights appear in your rear-view mirror. Perhaps you were going too fast, or sped through a construction zone. Whatever the cause may be, you usually know at this point that you are in danger of receiving a Speeding Violation. When out of your home state, your odds of receiving a ticket are even higher, as officers are less likely to just let you off with just a warning.
All sorts of tickets seem to be easier to obtain when traveling to another state, and speeding is no exception to this rule. Not being familiar with an area or not being sure of the speed limit makes you more vulnerable to violating a traffic law. For non-Philadelphia residents, the city and its surrounding areas can be a traffic nightmare. Heavy traffic, poorly displayed signs, and a significant police presence acting as local driving tax collectors makes it all too easy for drivers in the area to end up with a ticket. Putting those factors aside, police pay particular attention to those with out of state plates, making it far too easy for a ticket disaster for out of state visitors.
You might be holding on to hope that the authorities back home will never find out about your driving infraction—including your insurance company. Contrary to what common perception, getting a speeding ticket out-of-state can have the same ramifications as receiving the ticket in your home state.
Getting a Ticket in Pennsylvania as an out-of-state driver will likely cost you points on your license back home because of two state compacts which share traffic violation information.
Most states follow interstate reciprocal agreement known as the Driver License Compact (DLC) that requires states to share information on convictions for traffic violations. The 45 DLC-member states agree to report out-of-state convictions to one another, including when a state suspends an out-of-state driver, the driver’s home page is encouraged to follow the same protocol.
The other agreement is called the Nonresident Violator Compact, an agreement that guarantees out-of-state motorists the same rights and privileges as in-state drivers.
Out of State Driver with Pennsylvania Speeding Ticket
Fines can be paid and surcharges eventually will end, points, however, can hang on to your license for years. Your home state probbably uses a point schedule to determine how many points you can accrue before your license is suspended. Just like any other speeding violation, an out-of-state ticket will add onto this total. These penalties can be destructive to both your personal and professional lives.
By retaining local counsel, you will be utilizing the services of an attorney who is familiar with local laws and how the ticket will affect you here. Your attorney can communicate with an attorney in your home state, when necessary, to see how the ticket may affect you at home as well. Perhaps more importantly, a local attorney can help you to fight the ticket, and at least plea it down, so that your home state will be informed of a less serious offense than they otherwise would.
This content was written on behalf of Greg Prosmushkin.