Everyone around me is speeding, so why did I get a ticket?

Today as I drove down the highway I noticed that traffic was moving quite a bit over the speed limit. This being the case it didn’t stop  people still passing the majority of us. As my journey continued, I was reminded by what may clients have said when they have come into my office “everyone around me was speeding so why did I get a ticket?” The simple answer always is that everyone was breaking the law and anyone could of been stopped. It is usually the luck of the draw and it may be that you somehow caught the officers eye.  It also it is not a defense to say that everyone was doing it so it is unfair to punish me.

Even though speeding is the norm, I firmly believe that the drivers do not know how serious the Laws are that they are breaking. In Illinois, speeding can become much more than a petty offense and in a hurry, you can become a criminal.

Illinois’ law provides for different levels of Misdemeanor offenses:

A class C Misdemeanor is punishable by up to 30 days in jail.

(Now pay attention to this next bit)

A class B Misdemeanor is punishable by up to 180 days in jail fines up to $1500  plus court costs. In Illinois traveling above 20 miles an hour over the speed limit puts you into this category. That is doing 81 in a 55. I see this everyday on my way into downtown Chicago. So keeping up with traffic in this type of situation not only makes you a speeder but can make you a criminal as well. It doesn’t end here.

The final class of Misdemeanor is the class A which is punishable by up to 364 days in jail and fines up to $2500 plus court costs. In Illinois traveling 35 miles an hour over the speed limit puts you into this category.

As we see it is easy to turn what one would consider ordinary speeding into a criminal offense. Speeding is Speeding until it becomes criminal. Everyone be safe and be informed.