As you begin your work week, watch out for speed traps. Beginning today (July 15, 2019), law enforcement agencies around Georgia and surrounding states will be participating in Operation Southern Shield, a speeding and traffic violation crackdown that will run until July 21, 2019.
If you do end up getting a speeding ticket during Operation Southern Shield or any other time of the year, there are a few things you should know before merely paying your speeding ticket.
- The Georgia Department of Driver Services has a points system for moving violations, including speeding. Drivers who accrue 15 points within a 24-month period of time will have their licenses suspended. Learn more about the points system and the types of offenses that result in points in my article about Georgia Moving Violations.
- Drivers under 21 are subject to different rules. An under-21 driver who is convicted of any 4-point offense will have his or her license suspended, even for a first offense. Driving 24+ miles per hour over the speed limit is a 4-point offense. See my Speeding article for more information about points. The rules are stricter still for drivers under 18. For under-18 drivers, the accumulation of 4 or more points within a 12 month period will result in suspension. That means that two low-level speeding tickets can potentially result in suspension for a young driver.
- Super Speeders beware! Georgia has a Super Speeders law that is extremely harsh. Drivers convicted of speeding at 75 MPH or more on a two-lane road, or 85 MPH and above on any road or highway in Georgia are fined an additional $200, on top of the already-steep fines and fees that may be assessed by the court system. Failure to pay this $200 will result in suspension of the person’s driver’s license.
Questions about Georgia speeding laws, how to reduce points on your license, or what to do if you get busted? Give me a call today.
