Speed limits are an aspect of traveling that most people try to pay attention to. As a driver, knowing the speed limits in your area could help prevent you from driving too fast and ending up with a ticket. Of course, if you do receive a citation, you may not think it is a big deal. However, you may want to reconsider this line of thinking.
Many people do commonly receive traffic tickets, but despite their common nature, tickets could still have a considerable impact on your license and your driving record. Therefore, rather than thinking of speeding tickets as an inevitable occurrence, you may want to learn more about the types of speeding and how you could better stay in compliance with the law.
Speed limit signs
You may be among the many individuals who do not realize that more than one type of speed limit exists. Understandably, you may believe that the number posted on a speed limit sign is the only one you need to worry about. However, that is not the case. The number posted on the sign is only one type of speed limit known as the absolute speed limit.
With the absolute speed limit, the limit is clearly posted, and you and other drivers should understand that if a driver exceeds that posted limit, he or she has broken the law.
Other types of speed limits
Two other types of speed limits also exist. Those limits include the following:
- Presumed speed limit: This speed limit involves the possibility of driving over the speed limit without negative repercussions as long as you drove safely and not excessively over the absolute speed limit. For instance, you could potentially drive 5 mph over the limit on an empty stretch of highway.
- Basic speed limit: This type of speed limit and the presumed speed limit tend to rely more on officer discretion. With the basic speed limit, you could potentially face a speeding ticket even if you traveled under the absolute speed limit if an officer felt that you were driving too fast for conditions or for other reasons.
Because speed limits may not be as cut-and-dry as you once thought, you may worry about the potential for getting a ticket. Fortunately, if you do end up cited for speeding, you do not have to accept that a mark will go on your driving record and that you will have to pay a fine. Instead, you may want to consider your options for fighting a traffic ticket in court.
