Getting a speeding ticket in CT can be serious and expensive. If you don’t live there, the costs and requirements may be different from where you come from. If you do live in Connecticut, you still may not be fully clear on the laws and penalties there. The best choice is to avoid speeding fines and tickets, but if you can’t do that the next best choice is to be aware, so you know what to expect. The current CT speeding laws are all available to everyone, so you can look at the fines for every infraction. Here are some of the most important things to know about speeding penalties in Connecticut.

What Constitutes Speeding in Connecticut?

A CT traffic ticket can be issued for speeding any time your vehicle is exceeding the posted legal limit. For most people, though, driving a couple of miles per hour over the speed limit is not enough for an officer to pull them over and cite them. They can, but they generally don’t. That’s often because speedometers have a margin of error and proving speeding for one or two miles per hour over the posted limit is difficult. Anyone driving well over the speed limit, though, risks a ticket for the offense and an expensive fine, as well as other types of costs.

Moving Too Fast Can Also Mean Reckless Driving

If you’re driving more than 15 mph over the speed limit, that’s considered a serious offense that can constitute reckless driving. If you’re driving 20 mph over the speed limit, that’s automatically also reckless driving. Getting a ticket for speeding along with driving recklessly can be much more significant than a simple speeding ticket. Two of these serious offenses within three years can mean a 60-day license suspension, and three offenses in the same period of time is a 120-day license suspension. These more serious tickets can cost more money than a standard speeding ticket, as well.

Speeding Fines Can Be Very Expensive

Across the state of Connecticut, the speeding ticket cost can be relatively uniform. Near the bottom right of the ticket, there is an area that says, “amount due.” How much you were speeding and whether there were any extenuating circumstances, such as reckless driving or a DUI, can all affect the cost of the ticket. Additionally, there are court costs and fines that can be imposed. While these are the same throughout the state, it’s important to realize that they will be a part of the total cost if you choose to go to court over the infraction.

Taking Care of a Ticket Quickly is Important

Having the option to pay your ticket online shows that CT courts understand that people are busy and may just want to take care of their ticket and move on. Not everyone is going to go to court and fight a ticket. Sometimes they are involved in work and other activities, and the ticket isn’t a priority to them. Other times they may use the CT ticket lookup to find their ticket and they recognize that they are guilty of the infraction. If they’ve been to court and found guilty, they can also pay their ticket online.

There’s a set time to pay a ticket, and there are also some special categories to be aware of when it comes to the cost of a ticket. Being under age 24, having a CDL, or having previous tickets or other driving infractions on your record can all affect what happens to you after you receive a Connecticut speeding ticket.