Speeding is a rather common traffic offense in Illinois and throughout the United States. It is easy to speed, because in many cases, a person does not even realize they are going over the speed limit. Traveling over the speed limit may seem like a victimless offense, but according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding killed more than 9,700 people in 2017 alone, or around 26 percent of all people killed in traffic accidents that year. Because of the danger speeding poses, Illinois laws can be rather serious when it comes to punishing violators. Any person who speeds is technically breaking the law, but those who have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) may face other consequences that could potentially damage their careers.

Speeding Laws in Illinois

If you are driving a designated amount over the speed limit, you may face criminal charges. These speeding laws are the same whether or not you hold a CDL. If you are going 26 mph or more over the posted speed limit, but not more than 35 mph over the limit, you can be charged with a Class B misdemeanor. This means you will face up to six months in jail and up to $1,500 with a minimum fine of $75. If you are caught going 35 mph or more over the posted speed limit, you can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, meaning you will face up to one year in prison and up to $2,500 in fines.

Traffic violations are not uncommon. Millions of people each year are issued citations and tickets for breaking traffic laws. Most of the time, these tickets just require the driver to pay a specified fine. In some cases, the driver may have to appear in traffic court to settle the issue. In other cases, a police officer might perform an arrest at a traffic stop if he or she believes the offense was serious enough. One such charge that warrants an arrest in the majority of cases is reckless driving, which is considered a misdemeanor charge in Illinois. But what exactly does the offense of reckless driving mean? 

Examples of Reckless Driving

According to the Illinois Vehicle Code, reckless driving occurs when a person does one of the following actions:

If you receive a traffic ticket while driving in the state of Illinois, the police officer who issued the ticket will tell you if you are required to appear in court to settle the ticket. If you are not required to appear in court, you will have three options:

1. Plead guilty, pay the fine, and receive a conviction on your record.
2. Plead guilty, pay the fine, attend traffic safety school, and forego a conviction.
3. Plead not guilty and request a trial.

If you request a trial, or if the officer informed you that you must attend a court date, you are legally required to do so. If you forget about your court date, or if you simply decide not to show up, you could face more severe consequences.

Consequences for Fine-Only Violations

If you receive a fine-only violation, and you ignored the ticket, or if you requested a court date and then did not attend that court date, both the judge and the court will not appreciate this waste of their time. The judge will almost always enter what is called an ex parte conviction (meaning the judge will sentence you guilty, even though you were absent) and require you to pay the fine.

Many people think speeding is not that big a deal. While certain speeding offenses are only charged as minor traffic violations, in some cases, speeding can become a significant misdemeanor offense. While other drivers may zoom by you on the expressway, maintaining a reasonable speed keeps you, your passengers, and other drivers safer.

In Illinois, when your speed reaches a certain number of miles per hour over the posted speed limit, it can be considered aggravated speeding, which is a serious crime in Illinois. If you face charges of aggravated speeding, it is important you understand the charges and their potential consequences.

When you see flashing red and blue lights in your rearview mirror and you realize they are flashing for you, it can be a sickening, sinking feeling. Being pulled over by police can be an intimidating experience, even if you have no reason to be worried. It has been proven that most people will do what a police officer tells them for the sole reason that the officer is wearing a uniform, even if they do not believe it is the right thing to do. It is extremely important to remember you do have rights when you are pulled over by a police officer.

Rights When Speaking to Police

Most people have heard about the right to remain silent, but is that always your best option? Sometimes, if a police officer is asking you questions, it is not in your best interest to keep quiet. The right to remain silent is intended to keep you from self-incrimination, but there are other ways to do that. If an officer begins to question you, try answering their question with a question, such as, “Did I do something wrong?,” or, “Am I free to leave?”