Automated speeding tickets can happen to anyone; you check your mail only to find you’ve received a camera ticket from a red-light camera or a speeding camera. There’s a photo and even video evidence of you violating traffic regulations. Red-light and speed cameras are automated enforcement technology used across Illinois to detect and prevent drivers from speeding or running red lights. Although you may have an option to fight or mitigate your criminal penalty, often recipients of these automated tickets pay the fine by sending a check in the mail to avoid the challenges of taking their case to trial.
If you have received an automated traffic ticket in Chicago, here’s what you need to know.
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What Happens If You Don’t Pay An Automated Speeding Camera Ticket?
Automated traffic light cameras and speed camera tickets can’t form the basis of your license suspension because of committing too many violations. This refers to the traffic rule where three moving violation convictions in one year for a driver 21 or older or two moving violations in two years if a driver is under 21 years old could cause a license suspension. The Illinois Secretary of State doesn’t consider these moving violations, which means they won’t trigger this rule.
The risk of license suspension only arises when you don’t pay for traffic camera tickets. For parking tickets, automated camera tickets, or tollway violations, having a good deal of unpaid traffic tickets may cause a driver’s license suspension. The limits for unpaid traffic tickets are 10, 10, and 5 respectively. This means you can have 4 unpaid traffic tickets forever and your license won’t be suspended but once you get the 5th ticket your driver’s license can be suspended.
Related Content: What Happens If You Don’t Pay a Camera Ticket?
Further, if you don’t pay for traffic camera tickets, you may be subject to risk collection fees, which are relatively as high as the ticket. Also, this may hurt your credit report. If it triggers a license suspension, your license can only be reinstated once you pay for all tickets owed, not just the 5th ticket. Alternatively, you must apply for a qualified payment plan, present proof to the Illinois secretary of state, and make your payments frequently.
The choice is yours if you wish to pay for traffic camera tickets, however, if you don’t, it’s essential to know how many unpaid traffic tickets you have because once you exceed the speed limit because you may have to pay for all the speed camera tickets and the collection fees for your driving license to be valid again.
How Much Jail Time Can I Get for Unpaid Speeding Tickets?
The possibility of jail time for unpaid tickets depends on several factors. If you receive multiple automated tickets for different or the same violation, the local law enforcement authorities might issue a warrant of arrest against you. However, other criminal penalties are usually increased before jail time is a possibility. Increased fines are usually first before additional penalties are added to the original criminal penalties. You may find your driving privileges suspended. Often, you won’t know this until a law enforcement officer pulls over for a new traffic offense. Then, the police officer will impound your motor vehicle for a mandatory time frame, accumulating additional charges.
Be Prepared: How To Prepare For Traffic Court
When an arrest warrant is issued against you for ignoring a traffic ticket, the local law enforcement agencies will look for you. If your license suspension causes a police officer to pull you over, you might be subject to an arrest. There’s a probability that you may face jail time, but the usual outcome for a traffic violation is spending a chunk of time completing community service in your local area.
While the likelihood of jail time is typically low, there are other consequences for not resolving your speeding camera tickets when necessary. Points taken from your driving license may complicate your ability to drive legally. The most significant consequence is the increase in auto insurance rates for an auto insurance policy.
Is it Bad to Have a Speeding Camera Ticket on Your Driving Record?
Having a speeding ticket on your driving record may cause more than just an increase in insurance premiums—it could affect your eligibility with various auto insurance providers. However, how long does a speeding camera ticket affect insurance? To gauge your driver risk level, auto insurance companies will look at how many motor vehicle accidents, traffic tickets, and other incidents such as driving under the influence you have had in the last 3-5 years. Each auto insurance company has its own underwriting regulations stipulating how far back in your driving record an assessment goes.
Also, the severity of your speeding ticket might influence your insurance provider when it’s determining auto insurance rates. Just as speeding over the limit can influence the fines you pay, it can also affect your auto insurance premiums. The more speeding tickets and other incidents you have on your driving record, and the more serious those incidents are, the more likely you’re to run into auto insurance companies who decline to write your auto insurance policy. This can get even more complicated if your driver’s license was suspended. Finding n auto insurance provider with a suspended driver’s license is tricky, but it’s possible. You might need to choose a car insurance company specifically focused on insuring high-risk drivers.
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) tracks traffic offenses using a point system. Every state has its own rules regarding the point system and the point limit for traffic citation severity. For instance, speeding in Illinois is considered a five-point violation. If you receive a speeding camera ticket, a certain number of points will be added to your driver’s license. The number of points depends on how far over the speed limit you were driving. In most states, the more you’re over the speed limit, the more points will be added to your driving record.
Further, every state has its own point system correlating with the number of years that the points will stay on your driving record, too. Thus, it’s essential to note that your state’s laws will influence the outcome of your speeding ticket.
Contact Our Experienced Chicago Traffic Attorneys Today for Legal Advice!
The traffic defense lawyers in Chicago at our firm have decades of combined experience defending traffic offenders throughout Illinois. From Chicago automated speeding tickets to those issued throughout Illinois including Cook County, DuPage County, Lake County, Will County, Kendall County, and Kane County, our skilled traffic attorneys are happy to help you beat your traffic charges. To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our knowledgeable traffic ticket defense attorneys today at (773) 888-0365.
