If you recently received a speeding ticket, you may be worried about how it will affect your driving record. Especially if you have never received one, you do not want it to mar your perfect record, which could add points to your license and cause your car insurance rates to go up.

While you have the option to fight the ticket in traffic court, you would have a greater chance of success in having it dismissed by having legal counsel represent you in certain situations. Below are a couple of questions to ask yourself when trying to decide whether you should hire a lawyer to fight a speeding ticket.

1. Do You Believe That the Traffic Officer Clocked a Different Vehicle and Attributed It to Your Car?

One question you should ask yourself when trying to decide whether to fight a speeding ticket with the help of an attorney is whether or not you feel that you were speeding. Do you think that the officer clocked a different vehicle and incorrectly attributed it to your car?

Especially if there was a lot of traffic, it is possible that the wrong car was registered for speeding. During a consultation, you can discuss this possibility with the lawyer to see if there is a way to prove reasonable doubt as to whether you were the one speeding, especially if you have never received a violation before.

2. Were You Speeding to Help Avoid an Unsafe Situation Such as an Impending Automotive Accident?

Another question you should ask yourself when you think back to the situation that resulted in a speeding ticket is whether you had to speed up to avoid an unsafe situation. If a collision was imminent or if you saw an object falling, you may have needed to speed up to avoid being in an accident.

Especially if you have proof of this type of situation, the attorney can gather the information to present it to the traffic court judge. Because the increase in speed was proven necessary, they may overturn the ticket and dismiss it.

If you feel that you were going the speed limit but the officer registered the speed of another car and incorrectly identified the offender as yours, you may have a case to hire an attorney to help you get the ticket dismissed. Or if you were speeding to avoid an unsafe situation, they can help you prove that the situation warranted an increase in speed. Especially if this is your first ticket and you do not want to have your driving record marred, consider contacting a speeding ticket lawyer to schedule a consultation to discuss your situation to see if you have a case.

For more info, contact a local speeding ticket lawyer.