It’s not a charge that’s taken lightly. Speeding in a school zone can have deadly consequences for children who, by their very nature, are very vulnerable and in need of special care and protection. As such, penalties for unsafe speed in a school zone are enhanced. Fines, points on your driving record, and increased insurance rates can be costly. Depending on the seriousness of the offense, a mandatory hearing and driver license suspension could be added to your list of problems if you are caught exceeding the speed limit in a school zone.
What is the posted speed in a school zone and what methods are used to alert drivers that they are entering a reduced speed area? Generally, the posted speed in a school zone is 20 mph. The school zone must display signs clearly indicating the boundaries of the zone and hours of restricted/reduced speed, or, there must be a properly placed flashing beacon that is activated during school zone hours.
What penalties could I expect if I’m cited for speeding in a school zone?
- $50 for 1-9 miles per hour over the speed limit
- $200 for 10-14 miles per hour over the speed limit
- $300 for 15-19 miles per hour over the speed limit
- $350 for 20-29 miles per hour over the speed limit
- $500 for 30-39 miles per hour over the speed limit
- $2000 for 50 miles per hour, or more, over the speed limit
How could speeding in a school zone affect my driving record?
Speeding up to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit could automatically result in 3 points being added to your driving record. Four points could be added if your ticket is for speeding at 16 or more miles per hour over the limit. If you are involved in an accident while speeding in a school zone, you could have 6 points added to your record and could face a required hearing and license suspension.
Is there any way to lessen or eliminate penalties?
A traffic ticket lawyer will carefully examine your citation to determine if there are any discrepancies that could lead to a reduction of penalties or dismissal of charges. A lawyer experienced in the Traffic Court System will look for details that can work in your favor. For example, does the time noted on the ticket fall within the posted hours of reduced speed in the school zone? Was the speed measurement device that was used reliable? Were you properly cited within the posted area of reduced speed?
Also read Violation Points and Other Penalties for Traffic Tickets in Florida
If you have questions about a ticket received for speeding in a school zone, call The Ticket Clinic for a free consultation at 1-800-CITATION (1-800-248-2846) or hire us online. Our experienced traffic lawyers have resolved over 3,000,000 traffic offenses nationwide since 1987.
