Have you just got your first speeding ticket, and you wonder if such won’t taint your clean records? It was a minor accident, but you don’t want to risk the chance at your career or prospects! But, is a speeding ticket a misdemeanor?
If it is, what should you know? What are the charges? Do you face any penalties?
Let’s find out!
Understanding Ticket Classifications
We understand that you are worried. Will this speeding ticket soil your good plans? Will you be spending time in jail?
You have probably heard stories. Well, don’t worry about all that for now. Instead, acquaint yourself with ticket classification. What are they? What even counts as a crime?
First, know that various states across the US have varying rules regarding ticket classification. Nevertheless, you can expect a general 3-class system that includes:
- Infractions
- Misdemeanors
- Felonies
Infractions
Of all traffic tickets, infractions are the least severe. Fortunately, they make the bulk of the lot and only go into driving records.
A little heads up: the chances are that your “little accident” belongs here.
However, note that infractions, even though the “least criminal” of all ticketing offenses, can cost you fines – or even a few days jail time. Even at that, you shouldn’t worry much. Here’s why:
The fines for infractions are averagely half what you will pay for misdemeanors. And the rate is almost nothing when you compare it to felony’s.
More importantly, you can fight infractions and not pay them, especially if you don’t have the dollars to spare. In that case, you will need a trusted aid to get you out.
Misdemeanor
The upper gear after an infraction is a misdemeanor. Here, expect to pay costlier fines than infractions.
Also, the jail time can go double or even more than the few days of infractions. While infractions might never even result in you meeting the jailor, a misdemeanor would make you his best friend. How so?
At the slightest misdemeanor, even for first-timers, the offender will attract up to a month. Second-timers will multiply that figure in three folds and go 3months. Commit the offense the third time, and call the jail your room for the next 6months.
Good news: you can still fight misdemeanors. But, you will need a criminal lawyer. When you engage one, he will understand if the misdemeanor is Class A or B and know how to resolve the case.
Felony
Felony is the last phase and the worst: the one you want to avoid by all means. Commit this, and your clean records will suffer a dent.
Even worse, felonies (class A to D) will cost you in the range of thousands of dollars, and that’s for a first-timer. Imagine having criminal records and still parting with a wad of cash!
About jail time, offenders can spend years taking a room with the jailor. In severe cases, the offender will be staying behind bars for life.
Good news: traffic offenses rarely end up in felonies.
Now, you understand traffic clarifications. So, where does a speeding ticket fall? Do you have a cause to worry?
Is A Speeding Ticket A Demeanor?
Short answer: no!
However, speeding tickets can be demeanor, or worse, a felony. But that’s only when you added a few extras. When?
- Driving beyond the speed limit – for this, you have to check with your state.
- You are a serial speeding ticket offender.
- You are involved in drag or street racing.
- Your speeding offense leads to another’s death, injury, or property loss/damage.
So, if you didn’t cross any of the limits we have listed, you are not getting any criminal record. Nevertheless, bad driving records are not equally a great attribute.
Final note: drive safely and be careful out there!
