Getting a speeding ticket is never pleasant, but if it happens to you, you may at least expect that the worst that can happen is you will have to pay a fine. However, in some situations, speeding in Illinois can result in significantly greater penalties, including criminal charges. It is important to be aware of the extent of the consequences you may face for speeding so that you can determine whether you need an attorney to help you contest the charges.

When Is Speeding a Criminal Offense in Illinois?

The severity of possible penalties for speeding depends on how far above the speed limit you were traveling and the area in which the violation occurred. In general, speeding offenses that can result in Illinois criminal charges fall under the category of aggravated speeding, which is defined as driving more than 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. Specifically:

• Traveling between 25 and 35 miles per hour above the speed limit is a Class B misdemeanor, with potential consequences including up to six months of imprisonment and up to $1,500 in fines.

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Getting pulled over when you are driving is never a good feeling. You may be worried about the ticket price of the traffic violation or be concerned about the other consequences that may follow. As of late, Americans have become increasingly concerned about their personal safety during interactions with law enforcement. With racial tensions at an all-time high and police-civilian interactions especially contentious, routine traffic stops can make many drivers more nervous than normal.

When being pulled over, it is important to remember that police officers are equally as cautious about potential dangers as the driver. Police officers risk their lives on a daily basis, and many have seen their friends and co-workers get severely or fatally injured while on the job. In order to put both the police officer and driver at ease, it is important that Illinois drivers adhere to the following guidelines.

How to Interact With an Officer

The way that you engage with a police officer as he or she approaches your vehicle can quickly determine how smoothly your interaction will proceed. Depending on your tone, attitude, and actions, your conversation with the police officer can end with a warning, ticket, or arrest. In order to avoid escalating your interaction with the officer, consider the following guidelines:

A common way for police to begin a conversation with a suspect is by asking if the suspect knows he or she did something wrong. While some people might think that this is just an officer’s way of breaking the ice, it could be that the police officer is trying to get you to make an inculpatory statement about a traffic violation or a more serious crime.

An inculpatory statement is a statement that acknowledges that a person did something illegal. For example, an officer could be trying to get you to admit to speeding or running a red light.

In this situation, people think that if they admit to something then the officer will let them go. This rarely happens.

Your Answer to the Question

A suspension of your license means that the state of Illinois has temporarily removed your driving privileges. No matter the cause, unless your license is permanently revoked, your privileges are restorable, either after the set amount of time has elapsed or once the court deems your eligibility again.

Suspension occurs for a wide variety of reasons, including anything from speeding tickets to delinquent child support payments. If you drive on a suspended license, however, then you are likely to face additional, more serious penalties.

How Did My License Get Suspended in the First Place?

License suspension in Illinois is a frequent occurrence. If you fail to pay ticketed fines, such as parking fines or toll charges for an excessive amount of time, your license is jeopardized. Non-driving related offenses put you at risk as well, such as failure to pay child support or breaking visitation regulations. Other behaviors that can result in a suspension include:

Speeding, no matter how far over the speed limit, is illegal. The reasoning for this is because it puts lives in danger, including your own. Punishments have the potential of being harsh, especially without the right representation. However, if you are charged with speeding in a speed restricted area, such as a construction zone, punishments are exponentially more severe.

What are Speed Restricted Zones?

In all technicalities, it is illegal to speed anywhere, especially as Illinois enforces an “absolute” speed limit law. This law, in short, says that it is illegal to operate a vehicle at a speed over the legal limit by even one mile per hour (MPH). There are a few key areas where the danger of injuring someone is higher. In these locations, law enforcement officials, as well as lawmakers, have agreed that punishments should be more severe to dissuade motorists from driving more than the posted speed limit. These specific areas include construction zones and school zones.

Punishments for Speeding vs. Speed Restricted Area