You Can Avoid Having a Speeding Violation End Up On Your Record
As has been previously discussed in this blog, keeping your driving record clean is extremely important so as to avoid collateral consequences such as an increase in insurance premiums and risking losing your license. There are a number of ways you may be able to accomplish this.
Depending on your driving record, you may be eligible for a continuance for dismissal, whereby you pay a premium on the traffic violation and cannot have any moving violations for an extended period of time – typically one-year. If you do this, then the ticket will be dismissed administratively after the year.
You may also try to negotiate with the prosecutor a plea to a non-traffic offense. These are rare outcomes and usually require some skilled negotiating.
If these tactics do not work, you may be able to plead guilty to the speeding ticket without it going on your record. Under Minn. Stat. 171.12, subd. 6, the Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services division, will not keep a record of the conviction under the following circumstances:
- A violation of a speed limit of 55 mph and the driver was not speeding in excess of 10 mph; or
- A violation of a speed limit of 60 mph and the driver was not speeding in excess of 5 mph.
This provision does not apply to speeds in 65 or 70 mph zones. And it does not apply to individuals driving a commercial vehicle at the time of the offense or to holders of a Class A, B, or C commercial drivers license, regardless of what kind of vehicle they were driving.
The importance of this provision cannot be understated. By not having a speeding conviction on your driving record under this provision, your insurance carrier will not see it and it will not be used against you to suspend your license.
Obtaining any of the above outcomes is crucial when you are cited for a speeding ticket. You should contact a Minnesota traffic violations attorney to help you get the best possible outcome. It will likely save you in the long run.