Articles Posted in Speeding

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If you’ve recently received a traffic ticket in Illinois, your first instinct might be to just pay the fine and move on with your life. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it avoids the hassle of going to court. But before you pull out your credit card, consider this: paying your traffic ticket is the same as pleading guilty and that decision can have long-term consequences.

At The Davis Law Group, P.C., we’ve helped thousands of clients across Illinois understand their rights and make smart legal choices. Here’s what you need to know before you pay that ticket.

What Happens When You Pay a Traffic Ticket?

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The Direct Cost: Premium Spikes After a Ticket

In Illinois, a single speeding ticket can increase your annual insurance premium by roughly 20–27%, adding about $497–$582 per year to a full coverage policy.

  • NerdWallet found that drivers in Illinois pay, on average, $2,244 with a speeding ticket – about $497 more per year than those with a clean record.
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In Illinois, driving 26 mph or more above the posted speed limit is more than a simple traffic ticket—it’s a criminal offense, commonly called aggravated speeding. This offense may carry serious implications, including potential jail time, license suspension, and a lasting impact on your record. At The Davis Law Group, P.C., we often receive questions about aggravated speeding in Illinois and the consequences it brings. Here are answers to some of the most common concerns.

Can You Be Arrested for Speeding in Illinois?

Yes. In Illinois, speeding 26 mph or more over the posted speed limit is classified as a misdemeanor, a criminal offense that can result in arrest. Depending on the law enforcement agency and the specific officer’s discretion, you may either receive a ticket with a required court appearance or be arrested on the spot. The officer may take you to the police station for processing before release.

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Being arrested for DUI or charged with a traffic offense in Lake County, Illinois, can be a daunting experience. However, knowing the right steps to take can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. Here’s a comprehensive guide on what to do if you find yourself in this situation:

Stay Calm and Compliant During the Traffic Stop:

1. Pull Over Safely: When you see the police lights, pull over safely to the side of the road.

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The Illinois Secretary of State can suspend or revoke your driver’s license for a variety of reasons. A license suspension lasts for a set period of time. After it ends, you can automatically regain your driving privileges after paying a reinstatement fee to the Secretary of State. Depending on the reason(s) for the suspension, there may be additional conditions before full license reinstatement such as completion of a remedial driving course.

In contrast, a license revocation lasts for a minimum of 1 year or longer depending on the violation that caused the revocation and your overall record of previous violations. On or after the termination date of your revocation, which is called your “projected eligibility date”, you will need to appear for a hearing before the Secretary of State in order to regain any driving privileges. These hearings can be complex and often result in a denial.

It should also be noted that you may be eligible to apply for a restricted driving permit during the period of suspension or revocation. In certain cases, regardless of your projected eligibility date for full reinstatement, you may be required to drive on a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (“BAIID”) for a period of 1-5 years before being eligible to be considered for unrestricted driving.   

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Typically, you are only required to appear in court if your traffic ticket is marked as “Must Appear” or “Court Appearance Required”. On most tickets, a box will be checked by the officer that confirms whether you need to appear in court.

These traffic tickets will also contain a court date, time and location.  Traffic tickets that have a required court appearance are most often issued for violations that create a great potential for harm or carry mandatory minimum penalties such as an automatic driver’s license suspension. For many of these cases, it may still be possible for a traffic attorney to appear on your behalf and avoid the need for you to be personally present in court.

Traffic tickets that indicate “No Court Appearance Required” will also contain options such as how to pay the ticket or request a court date. While you may be told that these traffic violations are punishable only by a fine, there is more to first consider before just paying the ticket. Paying a moving violation will result in a conviction being reported to the Secretary of State. A conviction will appear on your public driving record and can negatively impact your insurance rates.

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Lake County Traffic Attorneys

Our Lake County Traffic Attorneys provide professional representation to those issued traffic violations throughout Lake County. Lake County traffic tickets are assigned to one of three branch courthouses depending on the police department that issued the citation.

  1. Mundelein Branch Court located at 105 East State Route 83, Mundelein, IL 60060
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In Illinois, speeding 26 mph or more over the posted limit is a criminal offense. This offense is also known as aggravated speeding, misdemeanor speeding or excessive speeding. The penalties for aggravated speeding tickets were addressed in an earlier post. Below are the answers to some additional questions we often receive regarding Illinois speeding tickets.

Can you be arrested for speeding in Illinois?

Speeding 26 miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit is a misdemeanor in Illinois. A misdemeanor is a criminal offense and, therefore, you can be placed under arrest. While some police officers will simply issue an aggravated speeding ticket with a required court appearance and release you on the spot, that is not always the case. Depending on the officer and the law enforcement agency’s policy, you may be arrested, transported back to the police station and processed before being released.

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There are several new Illinois traffic laws that have taken effect recently, which all drivers should be aware of:

Texting while Driving Resulting in Injuries

This law became effective on July 1st, 2020 and provides that drivers who text while driving resulting in great bodily harm, permanent disability of disfigurement to another person are subject to a license suspension of 12 months and a minimum fine of $1,000.00.

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CDL holders are often misinformed about their options after receiving a traffic ticket in Illinois. As a result, they often request court supervision or traffic school in hopes that the offense will stay off of their public driving record, only to find out later that it did not. While an attorney may be able to remedy this situation by reopening the case, it is better to handle these situations properly from the outset.

For many years, Illinois has provided a type of sentencing in traffic and criminal cases known as court supervision. Court supervision is not considered a conviction under Illinois law, and typically avoids the consequences a conviction may bring with it. 

In traffic cases, the advantage of receiving court supervision for the average driver is that it does not appear on the driver’s public record and, therefore, is not available to employers or insurance companies. Furthermore, it does not count towards a suspension or revocation of their driver’s license.

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