Midway between Syracuse and Binghamton, Cortland County is a predominantly rural part of New York State. In addition to a thriving agricultural industry, the county is reliant on manufacturing and other industrial businesses, such as CNC milling. Cortland is one of NY’s smaller counties, both in terms of population (47,823) and area (502 square miles). It sits in a portion of the state near both the Southern Tier and Central New York. Still, it has only a few major roadways in and out of the state, which police watch aggressively for speeding and other infractions. Drivers who get speeding tickets in Cortland County should consult with a traffic ticket attorney to determine if and how they can beat the fines and other penalties. 

New York State Speeding Ticket Costs

The fines for speeding in Cortland County are usually between $150 to $600. In addition to the fine, drivers must pay a mandatory state surcharge of $88 or $93. A DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) fee will also be tacked on to any driver who accrues 6 or more points on his/her license. A DRA costs $300 plus an additional $75 for each point over six. On top of this, insurance premiums are likely to increase following a conviction for speeding, costing hundreds more per year. Altogether, this can bring the total cost of a speeding ticket to well over $1,000 in some cases.

Speeding Tickets Data from Cortland County, NY

In Cortland County, the total number of speeding tickets saw a slight decrease from 2021 (5,600 tickets) to 2022 (5,218). Despite the law enforcement agencies’ efforts to reduce traffic-related citations, speeding remained a significant factor in traffic safety. The majority of crashes in 2022 resulted in 1,387 incidents of property damage, while 218 incidents led to personal injuries. Unfortunately, there were also 7 recorded fatalities. This means that the consequences of speeding should not be taken lightly, because it can result in severe damages, physical dangers, and the tragic loss of lives.

A large portion of all speeding tickets in 2022 (3,061 tickets) were issued to drivers holding New York State licenses. Drivers from the Northeast Region were the next most frequently ticketed group with 1,298 citations. Those holding licenses from other US states were also subject to enforcement, receiving 465 tickets in total. Additionally, international drivers, including 142 from Canada, were not exempt from traffic citations.

Number of Speeding Tickets Issued in Cortland County (NY), 2013 – 2022

The conviction rates for speeding tickets in Cortland are similar to almost all counties in New York–there are a lot more convictions than dismissals or acquittals. 46.0% of all speeding tickets resulted in convictions for the same speeding violation originally cited. On the other hand, 43.2% of the cases ended in convictions for non-speeding violations, which means that negotiations or plea bargains may result in the speeding charges being changed. Only 10.7% of the cases were dismissed or resulted in acquittal.

Getting a speeding ticket can be upsetting and troublesome, especially if you live in Cortland County. The good news is there are experienced traffic ticket attorneys who can help you address the charge. An attorney can negotiate with prosecutors to reduce it to a lesser offense, potentially lowering the fine and points while avoiding other possible penalties.

Number of Car Crashes in Cortland County (NY), 2013 – 2022

Cortland County Geography and How It Relates to Traffic Tickets

With barely over 1.5 million vehicle miles logged in the county last year, Cortland County is one of the least trafficked counties in New York. Still, it does get a fair number of tourists to some of its many annual festivals, such as the Bluegrass Ramble in the summer and the Great Cortland Pumpkinfest in autumn. Thru-traffic often enters Cortland via I-81 and U.S. Route 11. In addition to those attending SUNY Cortland, many students visit the county from nearby colleges; Cornell University, Syracuse University, SUNY Binghamton and Ithaca College are all within a 45-minute drive of the county. The proportion of tickets to vehicle traffic means speeders stand out to police are very likely to get ticketed. 

Hiring a Cortland County Speeding Ticket Lawyer

Rather than accept the fines, points, and insurance increase that comes with a speeding ticket, every driver should consult with an attorney. In many cases, it may be possible to get the charges reduced or dropped. Even better, when a person hires an attorney he/she may not have to show up to court themselves.

Contact Rosenblum Law to assist you with your speeding ticket matter in Cortland County. We can offer you a free consultation about your case and have our attorney’s fight to reduce the penalties. Our attorneys have represented clients in Cortland County for both traffic and criminal matters, including those from Cincinnatus, Cortland (city), Cortlandville, Cuyler, Freetown, Harford, Homer, Lapeer, Marathon, Preble, Scott, Solon, Taylor, Truxton, Virgil, and Willet. Call 888-434-0406 or email Rosenblum Law today for a free consultation about your case.

Speeding Ticket in Other Counties