Reckless Driving and Speeding in Kentucky

[mking06]

My question involves a speeding ticket from the State of: Kentucky

I was on my way to school with two friends in the car and I was trying not to be late. We were on the highway about to get off on an exit when I see the flashing lights of the police car behind me. It was unmarked and it came from out from nowhere.

I am 17 and I am on the restricted license. I was not allowed to have two people in the car but he didn't cite me for that.

I was speeding at 80 in a 55 mph zone but he said he paced me going 85. He said I almost caused an accident when there weren't any cars around me and that I could have killed someone. With all this, he gave me speeding and reckless driving and a court date.

I am not sure what to do or what will happen to me with these charges. I have talked to a lawyer but I do not want my license suspended as I was told could happen. I also do not want my insurance to find out about it to raise my rates. Ultimately, my main goal is to not let my parents find out about this.

Any help for me?

[licensegrl]

If you are a Junior operator, you more than likey have violated a JOL law with the speed you were going. You need to find out if Kentucky will suspend your right to operate for the spped you were going. Also, take a second look at the ticket and make sure he didn't cite a passenger restriction violation. He probably figured between the speeding and wreckless driving charges you were in for enough grief so opted not to write you for the passenger violation. Keeping this from your parents is probably not going to happen as you will more than likely receive correspondence via mail from the DMV, court, etc regarding the vilations. In some States, wreckless driving is a criminal offense and carries a mandatory suspension time. Perhaps a lawyer or law student here on expertlaw can look it up for you and better advise.

Good luck and drive carefully....................You're too young to become a statistic.

[mixed.results]

I would definitely seek out a lawyer in your area, particularly one that specialized in traffic cases, its usually well worth the cost when your looking at something like wreckless driving.

Second, never say the phrase:

I was speeding at 80 in a 55 mph zone

when describing the events if you want a positive outcome of the case.

Third, cops don't come from nowhere, you need to up your alertness, whether that means paying attention to the roads, your mirrors, or even a radar detector (although you stated pace it may not have helped you in this case), you need to know what to look for even on unmarked cars, what they look like as far as lights, window tints, common makes, police driving style (you didn't see someone fly up on your / tail / travel the same pace as you?), it takes a few years before you get decent at it and even then it's hard to be perfect... And yet we always push our luck more the younger we are.

Another note, your a minor, your parents likely will find out, and it may be better you just explain the whole thing, they may be able to help you seek legal guidance and possibly help you pay for it (not all parents will, but the chances are they will find out anyway might as well try).

If you are found to have committed the actions they will be put on your record, you insurance will get that record, they do not like reckless driving.

Hopefully someone can help you out more than I, but the main lesson when driving regardless of whether you are going 20 under or 20 over is awareness. Always. Nobody should appear out of nowhere.