I got a speeding ticket. How can I fight it?

There are more than 100,000 speeding tickets issued every day in this country, and many of those drivers simply plead guilty and pay their fine. However, statistics show that many of those who fight their speeding tickets win their cases or have their charges reduced.

The key to fighting a speeding ticket is understanding your state laws regarding speeding and how your speed was measured.

If you were charged with violating the absolute speed, or the speed posted on speed limit signs, you have three options:

• Challenge the way your speed was measured, such as radar, laser, or pacing

• Claim that a driver in a another car similar to yours was speeding and the arresting officer made a mistake

• Claim that there was a justifiable emergency that required you to speed

If you were charged with violating presumed speed limits, it means that the officer determined that you were driving too fast for the conditions. The best defense against this charge is proving that at that time and in that place, you were driving safely for the conditions, and in fact, you were driving with the flow of traffic.

If you must prove that the speed measurement devices were faulty, your defense may require a level of expertise that you do not possess. Most speeding ticket attorneys are skilled in these defenses and may be able to provide the evidence to present a winning case in court.