The typical driver may receive a traffic ticket from time to time. This may be rather stressful and expensive, but the ticket is often paid without drama. Teenagers are not experienced drivers, and they may be more aggressive on the road. With this in mind, you may not be surprised to learn that your teenager has recently received a speeding ticket. This could seem like a minor issue, and you may initially be most concerned about your teen’s safety on the road. However, a speeding ticket can easily turn into a much more significant problem, and these are a few of the reasons why.
Failure to Pay
There are several reasons why a teen’s speeding ticket may not be paid on time. For example, you may have learned about the citation weeks after the event occurred, and the due date for the payment may have passed. Perhaps you made your teen responsible for the ticket, and he or she failed to pay it. When this happens, there is a reasonable chance that your teen may be arrested or may otherwise be required to appear in court. Taking out court cost bonds and hiring an attorney can be expensive and time-consuming.
Teen Driving Laws
In some states, teen driving laws are strict. A single citation that occurs within the first year or two of receiving a driver’s license may result in suspension or other penalties that may not be present when an older, experienced driver gets a speeding ticket. It is important that you and your teen understand the impact of violations and take steps to avoid them. For example, some vehicles have a teen driving mode that prevents the car from exceeding a specific speed limit.
Increased Auto Insurance Premium
A traffic citation often will remain on your driving record for several years. One citation may not impact an adult’s insurance premium, but it may result in an increase to a teen driver’s premium. If the teen receives tickets or is in an accident within the next few years, this ticket may also play a role in a dramatic premium escalation.
While a speeding ticket may initially seem like a rather minor incident, you can see that a teen’s speeding ticket may have more significant consequences. To decrease the impact that this event may have, ensure that the ticket is paid on time. Research local laws to determine how this could impact your teen’s driving privileges going forward, and think about retrofitting your vehicle to make it safer for your teen to drive.
