How to Avoid Speeding This Holiday

Travel is an inevitable part of the holidays, even if it’s only local. Between loading the car with gifts, getting the kids ready, and your wife’s complex and cryptic make-up routine, it’s almost impossible to not find yourself leaving the house later than you intended. When that happens, it becomes tempting to make up for lost time using your car’s accelerator.

In addition to the safety risk, speeding can result in a costly ticket that you don’t need this holiday season. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help avoid the need to rush in the first place.

Get ready the day before. Even if you don’t have to be at Aunt Mathilda’s until 4 p.m., there’s no need to wait until the day of to prepare. Pack everything you can in the car the night before, such as wrapped gifts. In addition, decide what outfits you and your family will wear and have it all set out before going to bed.

Leave with plenty of time. Some people set their alarm clocks five minutes fast in the morning to give themselves extra time in the morning. Consider doing something similar when getting ready to head out. For example, if you have to be at your brother’s house at 1 p.m. and you know it takes 25 minutes to get there, aim to leave at least 35 minutes in advance (i.e. 12:25 p.m.) Move your expected departure time further up if you expect traffic, have to stop to pick up additional people or need to swing by the store to grab something.  

Relax. Despite your best efforts, you end up getting in the car later than you’d like. Try taking a few deep breaths to calm yourself down. Think soothing, positive thoughts before starting up the car so you are less inclined to rush.

Watch the speedometer. Once you are on the road, keep a tight watch on your speedometer to avoid accidentally going too fast. Use cruise control if possible.

Recognize the cost of a speeding ticket. If nothing else, remember that speeding tickets can be very expensive. The fine for speeding ranges from $150 to $600. However, each ticket also includes a mandatory state surcharge that costs between $88 and $93. Moreover, if you accrue six points or more on your license as a result of the ticket you’ll be hit with a Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) of at least $100 per year for three years. All told, you could end up shelling out hundreds of dollars for a single speeding ticket. If it isn’t your first offense, your fines could be even higher.

Don’t ruin your holiday with a speeding ticket. If you or a loved one has been caught speeding, you need the help of an attorney to avoid the high costs associated with a ticket. The lawyers of the Rosenblum Law Firm are skilled New York traffic ticket attorneys who are experienced in handling tickets for speeding as well as other driving-related offenses. Call 888-203-2619 or email the Rosenblum Law Firm today for a free consultation about your case.