by Attorney Eric D. PuryearSpeeding tickets (citations) are issued by local Illinois law enforcement, as well as the Illinois State Police. A speeding ticket can result in license suspension/revocation, higher insurance rates, and even jail time in Illinois.
An Illinois speeding ticket can carry significant consequences for those who are convicted. In addition to fines (which were greatly increased recently as part of Illinois’ plan to fix its budget deficit), a person who is convicted of speeding can expect increases in the cost of their car insurance which can dwarf the cost of the fines and court costs. Speeding convictions can also result in a license suspension or revocation. Those who are under 21 years of age face even stricter rules as to when a license suspension will occur due to speeding.
Speeding in Illinois that is 35 miles per hour over the speed limit is also considered reckless driving, which means that a person so convicted can receive up to a year in the county jail. Speeding 30 miles per hour over the limit can also result in a jail term in Illinois. Given the way that speed limits are often rather low and greatly reduced in construction zones (even on weekends when not a worker is in sight), it is easer than one might think to get such a speeding ticket in Illinois.
Whether a speeding citation is from the Illinois State Police, the county Sheriff, or a local city or village’s police department, handing it the right way is important to best preserve a person’s driver’s license, and avoid increases in insurance premiums. For that reason, those facing a speeding ticket in Illinois are well advised to seek an attorney. Each speeding ticket case is unique, and having an attorney who will help the judge and prosecutor understand the circumstances of the case and the person who is accused of speeding can go a long way to obtaining a favorable resolution.