Caught speeding? It’s happened to the best of us. If you drive a car that piques the interest of police officers, or if you have a heavy foot, you’ll more than likely be caught at some point.
If you’re pulled over in Louisiana and receive a ticket, you need to make sure you pay it. Unpaid speeding tickets in any state result in far worse punishment than the original infraction. These unpaid tickets can cause major life disturbances!
Don’t let that happen. You can pay for Louisiana tickets online. Here’s how you do it.
How Much Is a Speeding Ticket in Louisiana?
Speeding ticket fines in Louisiana vary on the speed you drove. The fine amount also depends on other circumstances like weather and road conditions.
Thanks to what’s known as the “General Speed Law,” you can receive a ticket even if you drove under the posted speed limit. If the weather conditions and road conditions were poor, a police officer could determine “speeding” at any speed.
The lowest fine you will receive in Louisiana is $115. This is the minimum fine you’ll get for going 0-9 MPH over the posted speed limit.
If you speed 10-14 MPH over, the minimum fine you’ll face is $215. 15-20 MPH carries a hefty minimum fine of $240, while 21 MPH and over gets you at least $240 plus a court appearance.
It’s important to remember that these numbers are the minimum and are often much higher depending on circumstances. Louisiana school zone infractions increase by 50%.
Speeding Ticket Ramifications
Aside from the fine, speeding tickets increase monthly car insurance premiums. One speeding ticket can raise your premium by 25%. These numbers vary depending on the state you’re insured.
Rates for drivers with a speeding ticket in Pennsylvania increased by an average of $136. Speeders in Louisiana aren’t so lucky. The cost of one speeding ticket raises premiums by an average of $670.
Why does this happen? From the perspective of the insurance company, a ticket says you are a risk. If you speed, you’re more likely to have an accident resulting in serious damage to your car and someone else’s.
This means the insurance company will have to pay for those damages and medical bills. While any driver can be involved in an accident, a proven unsafe driver is more likely.
To put it another way, the insurance company hedges against you as an unsafe driver and looks to recoup any possible costs by raising your premiums.
Make Sure You Pay
If you receive a speeding ticket, don’t ignore it and think it will go away. It won’t. It’s not an overdue library book. Should you let your speeding tickets languish, your original punishment will look like a walk in the park.
Increased Costs
A ticket that goes unpaid will result in increased fines. Aside from the greater amount you’ll have to pay, you may need to hire representation to help you through the legal process.
Insurance Hike
A common penalty for one speeding ticket is an increase in car insurance rates. A ticket that goes unpaid displays you are even more at risk.
Your insurance company may need you to file a Certificate of Financial Responsibility, or an SR-22 form to allow you behind the wheel.
Jail Time
Yes, an unpaid speeding ticket can result in jail time. This is often the last resort. People with unpaid tickets in Louisiana get the option of traffic school, community service, or a payment plan to avoid lock-up.
Pay Louisiana Tickets Online
You can pay your speeding tickets by mail, online, or in person.
Starting in 2017, the DA’s Office offers Pre-Trial Diversion for many of their speeding infractions. This offer means if you pay your fines on time, the infraction will not enter the court system.
Using this payment option means your ticket will not appear on your criminal record and you avoid court fees! It’s a great option for any driver that helps you avoid the legal system.
Online payment of a speeding ticket is a great option that allows you peace of mind and convenience. There are certain steps you need to take to pay for your ticket online.
Speeding fines throughout the state of Louisiana aren’t uniform.
- The first step to pay a ticket in Louisiana is to find out where exactly you received the ticket. Contact the local parish to find out the specifics of the infraction. Baton Rouge tickets can be paid at this website.
- From there, you’ll know what website to visit to pay for your ticket. State, city, and parish governments have their websites where you can pay your fine with a credit card.
- Understand that to pay online; you will need the original ticket and a valid credit card. There will also be an additional court fee included.
Should you miss the original deadline for payment, online payment is not an option. Missing a payment deadline in Louisiana means a warrant for your arrest.
You will not be able to pay online if other charges like DUI or speeding in a school zone were issued on top of the original infraction.
Louisiana Ticket Dismissal
To pay for Louisiana tickets online means a guilty plea. While online payment is an easy and convenient option for making sure you pay on time, once you submit that payment, you cannot contest the ticket.
If you believe you were unfairly cited, do not submit an online payment. There are ways to beat it, and a professional is the best way.
If you received a speeding ticket in Louisiana, contact us without delay. We’re here to help with all your legal questions.
