You need not be nick-named “leadfoot” to get speeding tickets. The police and local officials know that there are roads where everyone exceeds the posted limit. In fact, many roads in our area would be eternally grid-locked if the limits were strictly enforced. However, local law enforcement is also aware that these areas are perfect for meeting ticket quotas (actually, quotas are illegal) and generating funds for the local coffers. If they are going to hold you to the letter of the law, however, you can do the same to them.
If you receive a speeding citation, there are many ways to challenge it and perhaps save yourself fines and points which, as discussed below, can result in a loss of your license. First, local police are limited by Pennsylvania laws in the way in which they can check your speed. They can do so only by:
- Speedometer: by following you and checking your speed over three-tenths of a mile.
- Mechanical/electronic timers: by the telltale sensor strips across the road, by stopwatch, or “VASCAR” (which is really an electronic stopwatch).
- Local police may not use radar; only State Police may use radar. If you are timed by radar, stopwatch, sensors or VASCAR you should know that:
- Your speed must be six mph over posted limits under 55 mph and 10 mph over if the posted limit is 55 mph or higher before you can be ticketed.
- The timing device must have been certified accurate by a Department of Transportation certification center not more than 60 days prior to your citation.
- You cannot be ticketed within 500 feet after a speed limit sign reducing the posted limit.
- Stopwatches and VASCAR rely on timing between fixed points in the road, and you should check that the distance between those points is the same as that claimed by the Commonwealth.
If the above does not avoid conviction, you must begin calculating your points. Once you have accumulated six points you can look forward to traffic school. Once you have accumulated eleven or more points, your license will be suspended for 5 days for each point the first time you reach eleven points, 10 days per point the second time, and 15 days per point the third time.
Points are assigned as follows:
- Driving too fast for conditions 2
- 6-10 over the limit 2
- 11-25 over the limit 3
- 26-30 over the limit 5
- 31 or more over the limit 5 (and possible suspension)
- Other assorted moving violations range from 2 to 5 Points are reduced as follows:
- No violation for 12 months 3
- Successful completion of traffic school 2