June 10, 2010 | In: Business, Finance
Car insurance quotes and speeding tickets
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, if you collect one speeding ticket, there’s a significant rise in the probability you will be involved in an accident in the next three years. This is not opinion. It’s a statistical fact that the chances of an accident rise by 50%. If you have two speeding tickets, the chances of an accident double. Since insurance companies set their premium rates according to these risk assessments, there’s an automatic linkage between a traffic citation and your premium rate. Depending on who you are, the rate can rise just a little or triple. For example, a wife rushing to her husband’s hospital bedside will be penalized less than a young man out street racing. The reality of the insurance market is that, according to the statistics, you get the premium rate you deserve. Since this is going to make the difference between potential discounts for being a safe driver with no claims and no tickets, and rate hikes worth several thousand dollars over the next three or four years for picking up a ticket, it can be worth fighting traffic tickets.
Obviously, it’s better to drive safely and within the law. It’s just as important to protect your reputation. Every few years, spend a few bucks at your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to ensure your driving record is accurate. If there’s a mistake, have it corrected. This could save you big dollars on the premium rates overnight. Now, let’s face the worst. You get pulled over. Remember never to admit guilt to the officer. Just be polite. Upsetting the officer could result in the addition of “ND” to the citation. That’s a note to the prosecutor not to do a deal, but to push for the maximum penalty. OK, so now you are in the system. What should you do? Don’t ignore the ticket. In many states, the police issue an arrest warrant. The first step is talking to your local DMV. Many states have programs in place to help drivers. For example, some will defer judgment and, if there are no violations in the next six months, the ticket is dismissed. Other states have driver safety courses. For minor offenses, attending a course on driving wipes the conviction from your record. You still have to pay the fine and the tuition fees, but this is less than the premium rate increases.
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