Got a speeding ticket in Oregon. What options do I have?

December 7, 2009 3:18 PM

Got a speeding ticket in Oregon. What options do I have?

I took a trip the other day, first road trip to be exact.

As I was driving through La Grande I got pulled over for going 78 in a 65 MPH zone. It was my fault as I was previously driving in a 75 MPH and didn't notice the speed limit had changed. Plus I was a bit nervous and wasn't really paying attention.

Anyway the fine is $287 dollars (ouch). And of course no doubt an increase in my insurance rates. Now my question is. Is there anything I can do to get this ticket reduced or possibly not have an increase in my insurance?

The last ticket I got was over 10 years ago. My record is very clean. I would be willing to drive to Oregon if need be (I live in Idaho).

I do feel very sorry for what I did and accept full responsibility. I just don't think one honest mistake should cost over $1000 dollars (287 + insurance hike).

I heard there is an option to take driving school. If I do that do I have to pay the full ticket and take the driving school?

Basically if you can tell me my options. Or should I just plead guilty and suffer the consequences?

I got the ticket just 6 days ago.

Also any advise to help me stop beating myself up for this mistake? I can't get over it and its driving me crazy.

posted by Takeyourtime to Travel & Transportation around Oregon (12 answers total)

Response by poster: Also, I have not plead anything yet. The ticket is in my room as we speak.
posted by Takeyourtime at 3:21 PM on December 7, 2009

See if you can do "Court By Mail" - you might have to call the courthouse and ask. Unless you appear in court and they find you not guilty, you're going to take a financial hit regardless.

If your driving record has been squeaky clean for 10 years, your rates shouldn't go up that much. If they do, tell the carrier to go pound sand and switch.
posted by drstein at 3:28 PM on December 7, 2009

In Oregon, most counties should allow you to plea by mail. I haven't seen one where you can't but I don't live in E. Oregon so don't know for sure. As for whether they allow traffic school that's determined county by county and it's not available for all offenses. Here in WA county you have to go to court and if you agree to go to school, they reduce the amount. That was for a seatbelt infraction (friends, not me), and they pleaded guilty. Checking the county website or calling the sheriff might get you more specific info if someone here doesn't know more.
posted by fiercekitten at 3:36 PM on December 7, 2009

Was the ticket from the OSP, or a local jurisdiction? The OSP website is lacking in any clear guidance on this.

I would call whatever numbers that are on the ticket and ask for info. One thing about Oregon is that the people in government on the other end of the line are very decent and will try to help. Government here is pretty good, comparatively.
posted by Danf at 3:42 PM on December 7, 2009

It's been a long time, but when I got a speeding ticket here (Oregon), I checked "guilty" on the ticket, mailed it in with a check for the full amount and a letter. The letter was super simple and basically took full responsibility for speeding and apologized. I requested some finanical relief, stating the amount was a hardship for me (it was). Weeks passed and I'd forgotten about it, then a check came in the mail for half the amount of the ticket. Whether this might be a possibility for you might depend on the county.

My insurance rates didn't go up when I had Allstate, but when we had State Farm and my husband got one ticket, they did. If your rates go up, shop around.
posted by peep at 3:47 PM on December 7, 2009

If I was you, I wouldn't mention the 75 mph limit elsewhere. It's a 2-hr drive to any state with a 75mph limit (Oregon maxes out at 65) so you might not see leniency from that.

Tell the truth in letter form and you'll probably see a reduction.
posted by jz at 4:26 PM on December 7, 2009

When I got a speeding ticket in Portland from the OSP a couple summers ago, I decided to plead guilty and send in the fine as levied - I was going 70 in a 55 and had no real excuse. So I sent in the money ($200something if I recall), and about three months later I got a check from the state of Oregon for $85; apparently guilty pleas result in reduced paperwork so they refund part of the ticket. Not sure it's a guarantee or not, and I'm only one data point, but still.

It did also show up on my insurance, so there's that I guess.
posted by pdb at 5:46 PM on December 7, 2009

I would plead "not guilty" and then call the local DA. She is likely authorized to negotiate. Ask if they are offering anything. The likely offer will be to a reduced violation that has less points on your record. Points affect insurance rates. You will probably still pay the hefty OR. fine, but it may lower or eliminate an increase in your insurance rates. From their standpoint, they get their money and conviction, you get a lower overall cost. Insurance company takes the hit in theory.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:19 PM on December 7, 2009

In Michigan you can plead "guilty with an explanation" and go to court and tell the magistrate that you're very sorry and accept responsibility and they will usually give you a ticket for Impeding Traffic instead, which is an increase in fines but no points on your license, and therefore no increase in insurance. I've done it twice, and I know people who have done it much more than that. It works best if you have a clean record otherwise. Sometimes the magistrates will be less lenient but from anecdotes from friends they give impeding traffic about 95% of the time.

If you don't want to go to Oregon, on the back of tickets here they have a mail in option but I've never personally tried it. You can plead the same thing though.
posted by tweedle at 8:08 PM on December 7, 2009

they will usually give you a ticket for Impeding Traffic instead, which is an increase in fines but no points on your license, and therefore no increase in insurance.

Oregon doesn't have points, so that's probably not going to happen. Pleading guilty usually results in a reduction in the fine here, but again no guarantee. Depends on how much of a pain the judge is and whether the reporting officer can remember anything about your ticket. I assumed it was the sheriff for Union County (or whatever) rather than the OSP that gave you the ticket, so my experience may or may not hold true.

on a side note, the form for reporting a crime online is empty. what's up with that?
posted by fiercekitten at 12:11 AM on December 8, 2009

Here's what I did (in Chicago), FWIW.
posted by allkindsoftime at 3:00 AM on December 8, 2009

To clarify, I think its worth making the effort to go to court and explain your situation as you did in the original question. As I understand most states' traffic laws, the worst that can happen is that you are found guilty and pay the original fine / get the original notation on your record. Alternatively, showing up in court and making your case will likely get you the traffic school option, or at least a reduction in fine. And there's always the chance that the officer doesn't show or they make some other goof on their end.
posted by allkindsoftime at 3:04 AM on December 8, 2009